Lumos
by sunshineleo
Summary: This is the sequel to Changes. Keith and Allura are enjoying their new relationship. An unexpected call from the one who put things into motion could put an interesting spin on things. Rated M just to be on the safe side. This is mostly pure Keith/ Allura fluff. True romance and citrus. Be warned!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Hi! This picks up right where the epilogue of _Changes_ leaves off. The story was getting way too long, so I decided to divide it into two parts. Here is chapter 1 of Book 2: Lumos.

Rated T/M

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Invitation

One particularly beautiful afternoon, Allura and Keith were lying beside the lake, a picnic lunch spread out before them on the blanket. They had just finished the brownies Allura had baked for dessert when Keith's communicator chirped urgently.

"Kogane, here," he said as he and Allura finished putting their leftovers back into the picnic basket.

"Hey, Cap," Lance said. "There is a call up here at Castle Control that has come in for the Princess."

Keith glanced at Allura. "Sounds like it's for you!" he smiled as he handed her the communicator.

"Hey Lance!" she said. "Who is the call from?"

There was a pause at the other end. "It's Prince Cedric," Lance responded quietly.

Keith looked up in alarm at the name of Princess Allura's last official suitor. Allura raised her eyes to meet Keith's. "What does he want, Lance?" she inquired.

"He didn't say, Princess," Lance replied. "He is on hold and he only wants to talk to you. What should I tell him?"

Again, Allura looked at Keith. He busied himself with the final clean up, effectively avoiding her eyes. She sighed, "Let Prince Cedric know that I will be with him momentarily." Allura's eyes never left Keith's face. She caught the slight flinch of Keith's body when she mentioned Cedric's name. She flipped the communicator closed. "I wonder what he wants?" she muttered to herself.

Keith stood up suddenly, gathering the blanket and picnic basket into his arms. "Does it matter?" he growled angrily. "Cedric withdrew his request to court you. You and I are together. He can't just decide that he made a mistake and waltz back into your life. I won't allow it!"

Allura blinked at the ferocity of Keith's words. It took her a minute to realize that he was feeling insecure and slightly jealous. He was afraid that Cedric regretted his decision and was about to appeal to Allura to let him back into her life.

Allura walked over to her tall, dark, and handsome commander and put her arms around his neck. She pulled his face to hers and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "My handsome, handsome love," she purred. "I am not interested in any stuffy, old prince. A particularly hot pilot holds my heart, and will forever, if he wants to." Her lips lingered on his again, a gentle caress.

Keith groaned softly, "Ok, ok," he moaned against her mouth. "You have convinced me I have nothing to worry about." He pulled away and looked down at her. "I just don't get why he is calling."

Allura shrugged her shoulders. "The only way to find out," she stated, "is to go and take the call." She turned and headed toward the castle.

"Well, I am going to be there when you talk to him!" Keith called after her and he joined her on the way to Castle Control.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVV

Fifteen minutes later, Allura walked into Castle Control, followed by Keith. She walked up to the main control station where Lance was on the afternoon watch.

"Afternoon, Lance," she greeted him warmly. "I can take that call from Cedric now. Can you patch it through to the conference room?"

"Sure," Lance said. His eyes slid over to Keith. There was a tenseness in his shoulders that wasn't normally there. Keith caught Lance's eyes and dared him to say anything. Lance quickly turned back to his computer station and pressed the button to transfer the video call. "Ok, Allura. It's ready when you are."

"Thank you, Lance," Allura replied. "You coming?" she asked as she turned to Keith.

"Yep," was the curt reply that Keith gave. He followed her into the conference room just off Castle Control. The team used the room for strategy meetings and mission debriefings and such. Allura sat down at the head of the long table and patted the seat next to her, indicating that she wanted Keith to sit down next to her. Keith raised his eyebrows and sat, not saying anything.

Allura fussed with her hair a minute before she settled in to take the call. Keith rolled his eyes. Whether she admitted it or not, she still cared about what the prince thought of her. Keith tried to push his jealousy way down into the pit of his stomach as he watched the woman he loved take the call.

"Cedric!" Allura exclaimed when she saw the handsome prince's face appear on the video screen. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"Allura," he returned her warm greeting. "You are as beautiful as I remember…" he paused as his eyes caught sight of Keith at the corner of the screen. "Commander?"

"Hi, your Majesty," Keith responded, cocking at eyebrow at the prince.

Cedric just stared at Keith for a moment before he shook his head and then smiled. "I was hoping to see the two of you together."

"You were?" Keith questioned, his voice rising in surprise.

Allura looked between the two men, one on the video screen in front of her and the other seated next to her. She didn't know what to say before Cedric piped in, "I knew you two were meant to be by the way you shamelessly flirted and laughed together during our afternoon at the Spring Carnival. That was supposed to be my date, Commander!"

Keith grinned sheepishly at the friendly prince. "Sorry, your Majesty!" he quipped. "I guess I was meant to win the heart of the fair Princess Allura!"

"Only because your heart already belonged to her," Cedric jested back. "Anything to add, Princess?" He looked over at Allura, pink staining her cheeks.

"Well," she began slowly. "I do want to thank you, Cedric, for stepping aside and allowing me to follow my heart. Keith and I greatly appreciate the kindness that you showed us: going to Koran, withdrawing your petition…"

Cedric interrupted her with a wave of his hand. "Pish, posh," he said. "Enough, you're welcome!" he cried. "I wish you two nothing but the best. All the happiness in the world!" Keith and Allura exchanged a smile before Cedric continued, "I was actually calling to extend an invitation for you and the Commander to come and visit Planet Lumos. In two weeks' time, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Summer Solstice. The entire planet celebrates with parades, and festivals, and a grand ball. You were such gracious hosts while I was on Arus, I would love to return the favor." Cedric's eyes gleamed as he gushed about the upcoming celebrations.

Allura clapped her hands together like a little child. "Oh, Keith!" she exclaimed. "That sounds wonderful! Thank you, Cedric! Of course we will come."

"Hold on, Allura" Keith warned. "We have to think about this. Making arrangements for travel. Leaving Arus with only 3 or 4 Lions. The two of us travelling alone. There are many things to consider."

"Always Mr. Protocol," Allura muttered under her breath. "Can't you, for just once, be totally spontaneous and throw caution to the wind?"

"Not when your safety and the safety of Arus are at stake," he silenced her with a dark and menacing glare.

Cedric cleared his throat to interrupt the couple's escalating argument. "You don't have to make a decision right now. Talk it over. Make whatever arrangements you are comfortable with. There will be no need for security on this end. My security detail can cover you. Invite the whole force if that would be better than splitting the Voltron Force. Let me know by the end of next week."

"Thank you so much for your gracious invitation, Prince Cedric!"Allura gushed again. "We will find a way to be able to attend your festivities."

"Yes, thank you!" Keith said softly. He looked a million miles away before a soft smile settled on his face. "It does sound like fun!" He looked at Allura.

"Talk to you soon then!" Cedric chirped. "This is Planet Lumos, signing off!"

Allura looked at Keith through heavy lidded eyes. She batted her eyelashes at him. "Please?" she implored. "Please, Keith! It sounds like such fun! A short vacation! Our first official ball as a couple. Just think of it!"

"I just have to think about the defenses. Leaving Arus completely defenseless is not an option," Keith put his foot down.

"Planet Lumos is an hour's ride by Lion. What if we just took Blue and left Black and the rest of the Lions and the Force here. Lance could pilot Black in your absence. Four Lions could hold the fort until we could make it back. And Doom has been very quiet. There has been no report of any real activity in and around Doom over the past several weeks," Allura pleaded her case.

"That's another thing that concerns me. It has been way too quiet," Keith said emphatically.

Allura turned to Keith and looked into his eyes. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her, her lips hungrily devouring his. His breath stopped short at the intensity of her kiss. After several long moments, she pulled away. "Ok," she breathed as she looked at him, her eyes full of love and the darkness of desire. "How about the chance for us to truly be alone for the first time since we have gotten together? A trip, just the two of us." She leaned into kiss him again.

When the kiss broke apart for the second time, Keith jumped up and headed for the door. He was breathing heavy as he tried desperately to calm his body down. Before he got to the door, he turned back to Allura, a look of smoldering passion in his eyes. "I will," he swore, "find a way to make this trip happen. I will see you later."

Allura smiled to herself as she rose and followed him out of the room. She knew she would be able to convince him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

T rating

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Consideration

Three days later, Doom attacked. Lotor sent five dozen fighters and one of Hagar's ugly Robeasts. Thanks to Voltron and the tenacity of the Voltron Force and Arusian Air Guard, the battle was short lived and the Doom forces took a beating. Even Lotor's command ship was nearly destroyed. Intelligence got back to Arus that Lotor had been severely injured in the battle and would likely be out of commission for several weeks. The Princess and the people of Arus settled in for a few weeks of fragile peace, though they knew it would only be temporary.

With the threat of Doom temporarily obliterated, Keith and Allura felt like maybe they would be able to accept Prince Cedric's invitation to attend the Feast of the Summer Solstice on Planet Lumos. They hadn't said a word to anyone until they could plan how to best broach the subject with Koran and Nanny. The opportunity presented itself prematurely one evening as the Force and the Princess's guardians were finishing up dinner. Conversation had come to a lull and a knock on the door interrupted the quiet moment.

"Enter," called Allura. The door swished open to reveal one of the page boys. He carried a creamy ivory envelope on a silver tray and presented it to Princess Allura. Her eyes widened as she picked it up. The official seal of His Royal Highness, Prince Cedric, of Planet Lumos gleamed blue against the lightness of the envelope. The page boy bowed and turned to leave.

"What is that, Highness?" Koran asked curiously, before his eyes darted quickly to Keith.

Allura gulped and looked at Keith before she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she stammered. "Let's open it."

Everyone stared as Allura slid her knife through the wax to break the seal. She opened the envelope and pulled out a bright blue card. Allura brought her hand to her mouth with a soft gasp.

"Well, what is it, Princess? Don't keep us waiting!" Nanny exclaimed.

"It's from Prince Cedric," she explained. "It's an invitation for Keith and me to attend the Feast of the Summer Solstice Celebration on Planet Lumos. He sent this as a follow up to our phone call." Allura glanced at Keith.

"Did you know about this, Commander?" Koran asked. "Why is this the first I am hearing about the invitation to Planet Lumos?"

Keith ran a hand through his black hair. He sighed before he answered, "Yes, Koran. I did know about this. Prince Cedric called about four days ago. I was with Allura when she received the call. We kind of got sidetracked with the battle and the Robeast and the reparations on the Lions. Sorry." A hint of sarcasm crept into Keith's voice. His eyes slid to Allura's, begging for help.

"Koran," Allura said gently. "We were going to discuss it with you when the opportunity was right."

"It sure looks like the opportunity is right!" Pidge grinned. He was immediately silenced with a hard look from Nanny.

"There is absolutely no way that you can attend this," Koran stated simply. "The answer is no!"

"Hold on, Koran," Keith jumped in. "We were going to be considerate and discuss it with you, but we were in no way going to ask for permission. Allura and I will be the ones to make the decision."

"Koran," Allura's voice was flat. Her face was set in a look of regal disdain. "Keith and I have discussed this. We would very much like to attend the celebrations. It was very gracious of Cedric to invite us. After all he did for Keith and me, it would be rude to decline the invitation."

"But, your Majesty, what about Arus?" Koran inquired. "Would you go and leave Arus defenseless?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Doom will be out of commission for a while," Lance piped in. "We have confirmed that Lotor will be laid up for at least three weeks. When is this thing?"

"Next weekend," Allura replied.

"It would be fine," Lance stated. "The three of us will be here. And Planet Lumos isn't far."

"An hour's ride by Lion," Hunk chimed in.

"See?" Lance said. "No problem."

"That still leaves us with only three Lions. I am not comfortable with that," Koran crossed his arms across his chest to add emphasis to his words.

"We thought of that, too," Keith responded. "Allura and I will travel there in Blue Lion. Sven has agreed to come and cover for the weekend. Lance can pilot Black if the need arises. We can be back within an hour."

"Well, Commander," Koran said flatly. "It seems you thought of everything."

"Not everything," Nanny's angry voice broke into the discussion. "You and the Princess are not married and will not be travelling anywhere without a proper chaperone."

Keith rolled his eyes as Allura stood up angrily, almost knocking her chair over. Rage was evident on her beautiful face.

Lance took one look at Allura and jumped up. "That's my cue to leave," he said. "Come on guys," he beckoned to Hunk and Pidge. They immediately stood and followed him out the door.

When the door swished close, the silence was deafening. Allura's clenched jaw worked as she tried to control her anger. After several long moments, she finally spoke, "I thought you agreed to stay out of _this_." Her words were ice as she pointed between her and Keith. "Keith and I will go. We will go alone. We will leave Friday afternoon and return Sunday evening." Her eyes bore into Koran and Nanny's, challenging them to question her.

Koran gave Keith a pleading look. He stood and joined Allura, putting his arm around her waist, showing a united front. "I will make the final defensive arrangements and make sure we have the coverage we need. I will have our flight plans to Castle Control by next Wednesday. Please understand. This is something that she and I need to do," he leaned over to kiss his precious Princess on the cheek.

Nanny opened her mouth to protest. Before she could utter a sound, Allura held up a hand and waved her away. "Excuse me," she said simply. She turned around and walked out of the room, Keith at her heels.

Nanny burst into tears. Her Princess had never treated her like that before, as nothing more than a mere servant. She looked anxiously at Koran.

"Our job is done, Netta," he said quietly. "Allura is a woman. She does not need us anymore. We need to trust her judgment and that of the Commander." He stood and limped quickly out of the room.

Nanny remained in the dining room for a long time. After the tears dried and her heart stopped hurting, she realized it was no longer her job to protect the Princess. That job had officially been taken by the handsome Commander.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for mature content/ innuendo

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Preparations

Keith and Allura barely saw each other over the next week. They were both so busy with their separate duties and preparations for their upcoming absence that the only times they were together were team practices, trainings, and meals. Allura had propositions to approve, rebuilding to oversee, and the Council to lead. Keith had to go over all defenses with Koran, Lance, the Voltron Force, and the Arussian Guard. He had to set the flight plan for Lumos and make sure he was prepared to act as Allura's personal body guard. The week flew by and Friday arrived clear and sunny.

Allura sat at her vanity watching as Nanny and her maids packed her trunk. This was considered a royal affair and Allura had to present herself as Her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, heir to the Throne of Arus. Several gowns and shoes were carefully laid among the tissue paper. A demure one piece bathing suit along with several cotton nightgowns were added to the trunk. Nanny brought in her cleaned flight suit and laid it across Allura's bed.

"I think that's everything, your Highness," Nanny said shortly. "Your trunk is ready and just needs to be taken to Blue Lion." She turned on her heel to leave.

Allura sighed as she watched her go. She knew that the argument from a week ago had hurt Nanny deeply. Nanny had been cold and distant. The warmth and closeness was gone, replaced by an aloof indifference. Allura shook off the guilt she was harboring. She was not going to let anything ruin this weekend trip. She would deal with the Nanny situation when she returned from Lumos.

Allura wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about what this trip stood for. She and Keith, the man she loved. Alone. A chill ran down her spine as a warm feeling spread all over her body. She smiled slyly at herself in the mirror.

"Oh Maria," she called to the maid who was finishing up her packing.

"Majesty?" Maria asked.

"I think that should be fine. Thank you for your help. I have a few more things that I need to add. I can finish it up," Allura instructed.

"You're sure, Majesty?" Maria asked again.

"Quite," Allura said emphatically. She smiled sweetly. "Thank you. You can go!"

Maria curtsied as she walked out the door. Allura followed her and locked it when the door swished closed. She walked slowly over to her dresser and pulled open the top drawer. Allura dumped the contents onto the bed and released the false bottom. Hidden in the small compartment was a tiny string bikini that she had ordered from a store on Earth. It had arrived on the last cargo shipment, just in time for their weekend trip to Lumos. Allura pulled the swimsuit out and held the pieces up. The shimmering blue matched her eyes perfectly. Allura laid the bikini top across her chest as she perused her reflection in the mirror.

"You are going to have a coronary when you see me in this, Commander Kogane," she whispered to the wide eyed beauty in the mirror. She smiled again as she laid the lingerie in the trunk and slammed the top shut.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVV

Keith sighed wearily as he glanced at the clock on the wall in his office. He and Allura were set to leave in a few hours. It had been a busy week making sure everything was in order for his absence. He was leaving Lance behind as his second-in-command. Lance had tried to convince Keith to ask for two days' leave so he could truly relax and enjoy his mini-vacation, but Keith declined. As far as Galazy Garrison knew, Keith was accompanying Allura as her official body guard. He didn't feel the need to reveal to his higher ups his personal relationship to the Princess, at least not yet.

He signed the last of his reports and sent his last email. He had the next couple of hours to himself before he had to check on the Blue Lion and begin final preparations. Keith walked down the hall and into his bedroom. He glanced at the open suitcase spread across the bed and decided now would be as good a time as any to finish packing.

He thought ahead to the upcoming events of the weekend. Once he and Allura had officially accepted, Cedric called to express how excited he was. He also sent an official itinerary. After arriving late in the afternoon, he and Allura would participate in a casual, cookout style dinner in the castle gardens. It was kind of a VIP event for visiting royalty and dignitaries. Saturday morning and afternoon would present the big festivities for the people of Lumos including a large parade and festival held in the capital's square. The Grand Ball would be Saturday evening with a formal dinner and dancing. Keith had packed everything from his utility suit to his formal uniform to cargo shorts and T-shirts. Would he need a swimsuit? He shrugged and grabbed it from a drawer and he threw it in anyway.

Keith and Allura would be kept very busy over the next couple of days and would not be alone much. He was a little disappointed that they wouldn't have much time to spend just with each other. Well, there was the ride there and the ride back. And there didn't seem to be any big to do's planned for Sunday. Keith started at a sudden knock on the door. He walked over to open it.

Lance stood grinning at Keith as the door opened. "Hey, Cap!" he greeted Keith warmly. "All done packing?"

"Just about," Keith replied distractedly.

"Are you excited about the trip?" Lance asked. "You and Allura get to be alone for like the first time ever!" Lance moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Keith couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I know," Keith moaned in slight frustration. "Except we have a lot of official engagements to attend. I am not sure how much actual alone time we will have."

"I am sure you will find a way, Cap. You are a strategic problem solver," Lance chuckled. He sobered and looked at Keith thoughtfully. "Uhh, I brought you something, just in case, you know…" his voice trailed off.

Keith looked at Lance perplexed. "What?"

Lance didn't say anything and handed Keith a small box. When Keith glanced down at the box in his hand, his eyes sprung back up to Lance's face in surprise. "Just in case, you know," Lance repeated.

Keith smiled. He didn't know if he and Allura would be intimate on this trip. He would be lying to himself if he tried to say he hadn't thought about it. His pulse quickened and warmth washed over him at the thought. "I guess it couldn't hurt to be prepped in case," he stated matter-of-factly. "Thanks, Lance."

Lance grinned. He was so excited for his best friend and hoped that this trip was everything it could be for both Keith and Allura. "You're welcome. Have a safe and fun trip. Don't worry; we will hold down the fort here. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" He turned to leave.

"Don't worry, I won't," Keith replied. "See you at Castle Control at 3."

"Will do, Cap," Lance smiled again and walked down the hall.

Keith looked again at the box of condoms in his hand. He shrugged his shoulders again and added the box to his suitcase, next to the other small box he had placed there earlier. He was trying not to overthink it. For once in his life, Keith looked to go into the weekend without any real plan. He wanted to be spontaneous and let things happen naturally. He smiled to himself. He would have the next 48 hours to be with the woman he loved. A delicious chill shivered down his spine. He closed the suitcase, grabbed the handle, and then headed out to Castle Control.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

T Rating

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Departure

Three o'clock on the dot, Koran and the Voltron Force met in Castle Control. The suitcases and trunks had been loaded onto Blue for the trip to Lumos. Sven had arrived two hours before with Romelle in tow to cover Keith and Allura's absences. Keith was going over the final flight plans when Allura sauntered into the control room. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes raked over Keith in his uniform. His back was to her and her eyes slipped from his long dark hair down his sculpted back to his backside…. A soft giggle caught Allura's attention as she finally noticed her cousin staring at her with laughing eyes.

Allura caught Romelle in a firm embrace. "Hello, Cousin," Romelle quipped. "Enjoying the view?" she whispered in Allura's ear.

Allura blushed slightly, but ignored the comment. "I hope you can stay a few days after we return so you and I can spend some time together," Allura said instead.

"I am sure we can arrange that," Romelle replied and gave her younger cousin's arm an understanding squeeze.

Keith turned at the sound of Allura's voice. His smile reached from ear to ear and he sighed. Her beauty never failed to amaze him. "Hey!" he said. "You ready to go?"

"You bet," she responded returning his smile.

Keith turned to Koran. "Ok. Then I guess that's everything," he said. "Allura and I will head to Blue. We should arrive at Lumos between 4 and 4:30. We will contact you as we approach Lumos's atmosphere."

"Yes, Commander," Koran replied. He turned to Allura. "Have fun, Princess." He reached out to give Allura a fatherly hug. "I trust you to do what's right for you," he whispered as he placed a gentle kiss onto her blond head.

"Thank you, Koran," Allura said and squeezed him again to let him know that all was well between them. She stepped back and looked around. "Will you tell Nanny good-bye for me?"

"Of course, Princess," Koran replied.

"That's it," Allura turned to Keith and curtsied. "Are you ready, my noble and handsome Commander?"

Keith smiled smugly. He bowed. "My lady?" He offered an arm.

The sound of gagging had everyone turn to Lance. "I think I am going to puke," he exclaimed. "Go already."

Keith and Allura headed to Blue's launch arm and arm. They glanced back to the smiling occupants of Castle Control before Allura climbed on Keith's back and they descended to the launch tunnel via the T bar.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Allura gave Keith a little squeeze before she dropped to the floor at the entrance of Blue's shoot. Keith let go of the T bar and dropped down beside her. He turned to face her. "Hi stranger," he said.

"Hi yourself," she replied. She leaned over and brushed her lips lightly across his.

"Are you ready?" he inquired after he pulled back.

"Definitely," she answered with a big smile.

Keith walked ahead of Allura and sat down in the command seat. He looked up at Allura as he patted his lap. She rolled her eyes and gracefully sat down. She grinned as strong arms came around her. She felt him nuzzling her neck. The shuttle launched, taking them down into the lake and to Blue Lion.

"Now, Captain," Allura scolded. "We shall have plenty of time for that." She tried to turn around and fix him with a look, but he held her fast.

"I know," came his muffled reply. "I've just missed you." He allowed her to twist around to face him and looked into her blue eyes.

"We have the next 48 hours to make up for lost time," she murmured. The command chair locked into position. Allura stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Now get up!" she commanded. "Blue is my baby and I'm driving!"

"But the guy is supposed to drive," Keith protested.

"Move," she said again.

"Yes, your Highness!" his eyes twinkled as he quipped playfully. He stood up. He felt a swat on his backside as he squeezed past her to get to Blue's passenger seat. She rolled her eyes again as she sat down in the command chair and turned to the control console. She set the coordinates for Lumos and brought Blue Lion out of her slumber. For the first time in a long time, Keith settled back to simply enjoy the ride.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T

Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Arrival

The trip from Arus to Lumos was quick and uneventful. Blue Lion entered Lumos's airspace at 4:15 pm. They contacted Castle Control on Arus to let them know that they had arrived. Lance took the call and wished them a great trip. Allura thought she caught a wink from Lance before the screen went black.

After landing on the main airstrip at Castle Lumos, Keith and Allura were greeted by Prince Cedric himself. He embraced Allura with a warm hug and caught Keith in a hearty handshake. "Welcome to Lumos!" he exclaimed.

"Thank you, Cedric," Allura replied. "It's good to be here. Lumos is beautiful!"

Keith nodded in agreement. He looked around at the breathtaking view around him. The castle sat on a high hill and provided a perfect vantage point to get a look around. Lumos was lush and green, hills rolling off in every direction as far as the eye could see. Sparkling blue lakes peaked out from between the hills. The sky was the blue of Allura's eyes. It was easy to see why Lumos was known as the 'Light of the Denubian Galaxy.'

It was high summer, just before the Summer Solstice and it was hot. The air was thick with humidity, no breeze to offer small relief from the stifling heat. Keith felt sweat trickle down his back underneath his flight suit. His hair was sticking to the back of his uniform. He glanced at Allura. Her face was flushed. Golden tendrils were curling along her forehead from perspiration. She wiped a trickle of sweat away with the back of a gloved hand. Her movement did not go unnoticed by Cedric.

"I know it's hot," Cedric stated simply. "Brock, my advisor, will show you to your suite so you can freshen up." He indicated the tall grey-haired man standing to his right. Brock nodded in acknowledgement. "The cookout starts at 7:00. Dress is casual." He pointed to his own outfit: a pair of cargo shorts and a simple button down.

"Excuse me, Majesty," Keith interrupted. "Where will I be staying? I am here as Princess's body guard and security."

"Brock will show you to _your _suite," Cedric repeated, emphasizing the plural of you. "I figured you'd be more comfortable staying together," he smiled. "For security reasons, of course."

Keith and Allura's eyes locked onto each other. "Thank you for that consideration," Allura said.

"No problem," Cedric replied. "I will now take my leave. I will see you in a couple of hours." He bowed to Allura before he walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for some sexual stuff. Things are getting more citrusy from here on out. Please be warned and read at your own risk.

Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Accommodations

Brock led them to their guest quarters. It turned out to be a spacious suite with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small sitting area. Keith's suitcase and Allura's trunk had already been delivered. Brock encouraged them to freshen up and not to hesitate to use the communications panel if they needed anything. He then left them to help prepare for the evening's cookout.

After he had left, Keith and Allura stood and stared at each other. They knew they would get to spend some time together; they never imagined they would share a room.

"Nanny and Koran would not approve," Keith stated to break the silence. "That's why we make no mention of this." His eyes bore into hers, seeming to darken suddenly.

She met his eyes evenly. "I had no intention of saying a word," she countered back.

Keith crossed the room in four steps and desperately embraced the Princess. He pulled her into his arms, his mouth hungrily taking hers. A groan escaped from him when her lips parted and their tongues began their now familiar dance.

Several minutes passed. Allura gently pulled away from him. "Keith," she whispered. He ignored her and tried to pull her back into the kiss. "Keith," she whispered more urgently.

"What?" he responded, annoyed.

"It's 5:30. We have to shower and get ready to be at the cookout by 7. It would be completely rude and improper if we were late," she said.

Keith glanced at the clock and rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said begrudgingly. "There's only one bathroom. You want to go first?"

"Sure," she replied. She stood up and slowly backed away from him, her eyes never leaving his face. She smiled seductively as her hand slid up to catch her zipper that ran down the front of her flight suit. "I can't wait to get out of his hot flight suit." Keith's heart began to race as he watched her slowly pull down the zipper. As the fabric parted, he caught a glimpse of pink lace over the swell of her breasts. Slipping the flight suit off of one shoulder and then the other, Allura let the top fall, revealing her toned arms and lace bra, her delicious cleavage heaving with her heavy breaths. She smiled one more time before she disappeared into the shared bathroom.

Keith sat down on one of the couches and laid his head back. He let out a long, calming breath to try and slow his still racing heart. "Shit," he murmured as he glanced down in his lap. He stood firm and proud, pressed against the fabric of his very revealing uniform. He needed a cold shower, but he would have to wait until Allura was done. "Yep, she's going to kill me," he spoke under his breath as he stood and walked into one of the bedrooms, dragging his suitcase behind him. He'd have to figure out another way to calm down until he could get into the shower. He closed the door behind him and peeled off his own sweaty flight suit. He stretched out in his boxers and started thinking about Nanny.

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Half an hour later, Allura sat at the vanity in the second bedroom. She noticed when she got out of the shower that the other door was closed. Keith was nowhere in sight. She figured maybe he wanted to take a little nap while she finished in the shower. She was just about to go and wake him when she heard the door open and then shut and the water turn on.

Allura finished styling her hair. She stood and perused herself in the mirror. She had chosen the all too familiar coral sundress for tonight's cookout. It was cool and comfortable and fit perfectly with the casual vibe. She knew Keith also thought she looked beautiful in it.

She finally heard the shower turn off and the bathroom door open. She went to her own bedroom door, ready to call a greeting. The words were lost as she took in the sight in the sitting room.

Keith was standing near the window, absent-mindedly drying his hair with a towel. A second towel was wrapped around his waist. His broad shoulders and muscular back worked as he finished drying his hair. A small squeak escaped from Allura and he turned around at the sound. He smiled when he caught her staring.

"Hey, beautiful," he quipped as he walked over and embraced her. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Her head was swimming from the heat of his skin and feel of his muscles pressed against her. "Two can play at this game," he whispered as he released her and walked into his room to finish getting ready.

Allura sat down weakly, trying to calm her own racing heart.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for some sexual stuff. Things are getting more citrusy from here on. Please be warned and read at your own risk.

Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Sleep

The cookout had been a lovely affair. Allura and Keith mingled with royalty and dignitaries from Lumos and other nearby planets. The young princess and her handsome commander had made quite an impression on the other guests. They were soon the talk of the castle. Everyone couldn't help by speculate about the exact nature of their relationship.

Allura was elated when Prince Cedric introduced her to Tatiana, his date and the woman who had seemingly captured his heart. She was tall and willowy, with long blond hair and eyes the color of amber. Tatiana was a local teacher and Cedric had met her when he visited the nearby school. It had been love at first sight for the prince. Tatiana was equally smitten. Allura was happy for her former suitor; it seemed they had both found what they were ultimately looking for.

After the cookout, Keith and Allura walked slowly toward their suite, hand in hand. They had had a wonderful time, but were both looking forward to some quiet time alone. It had been an exhausting day. Allura stifled a yawn as they reached the door to their suite. Keith chuckled as he keyed in the code. "Tired?" he noticed.

"A little," Allura replied as she stifled another yawn. She grinned at him. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Keith responded. The door opened to admit the couple. When it slid closed behind him, the realization that they were really and truly alone hit them both like a ton of bricks. They both kind of stared at each other awkwardly, both tentative to make the first move.

Keith acted first. He reached for Allura and pulled her to him for a gentle kiss. "I think we should call it a night. We traveled today. It's late and we have an early morning tomorrow." He kissed her again. "Night, Allura," he said as he headed to the bedroom he had used earlier that day.

"Wait, Keith!" Allura called after him. He turned to look at her. "Sleep with me," she pleaded, her eyes huge with longing.

Keith was taken aback. He hadn't expected the Princess to be so forward. He shook his head to make sure he had heard her right. "Excuse me, Allura?"

Allura reddened as he realized what she had said and how it must have sounded to him. "I don't mean…I just meant…" she stammered. She took a deep breath. "I meant," she tried again, "that I want you to sleep _next _to me, not sleep _with_ me."

Keith cocked his head, a lopsided grin spread across his face. "So you're saying that you don't want to sleep _with _me?" he asked with mock hurt.

"You better believe I do," she muttered under her breath, her eyes taking in every inch of his hard soldier's body. "Did I just say that out loud?" A new red blush blazed across Allura's face. "I mean yes, but…not tonight. I just want to sleep because I am tired, but….," Allura grasped to find the right words and dig herself out of the little hole she had created for herself.

"Breathe, Allura," Keith teased. "I never realized how flustered I make you. It's so cute" He smiled seductively down at her as he pinched her cheek tenderly.

"Ugh! You're incorrigible!" she threw up her hands in exasperation. "The offer stands. I have a big king-sized bed that would be very lonely if I had to occupy it all by myself."

Keith laughed at her annoyance. He pulled her to him again. "Ok, Princess. Let me go change and I'll be in to sleep _next _to you in a few minutes." He sauntered off, leaving Allura alone in the sitting room, her heart thumping in anticipation.

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A knock on Allura's bedroom door made her almost jump out of her skin. She glanced at the mirror. Her hair hung loosely down her back in a cascade of golden curls. Her nightgown was modest, yet revealed just a hint of cleavage at the V shaped neckline. Slits on either side showed off her shapely legs. She took a breath and opened the door.

Keith was standing on the other side, leaning up against the door frame. He took her breath away. He looked sexier than she had ever seen him. Dressed in only a pair of red pajama bottoms, his incredible upper body drew her eyes up. Several seconds passed before he said, "Are you going to let me in, or are you going to stand there and stare at me all night?" He cocked an eyebrow as he peered down at her.

Allura became flustered and tore her eyes away from Keith. She heard him chuckle as she turned around and walked quickly to the bed. She began to turn down the covers. She felt him come up behind her and hug her tightly. "My Princess; I have you all to myself," he murmured into her hair. She felt him press his hard body against hers.

A shiver ran down her spine at his close proximity. She turned around to face him. With that motion, she lost her balance and fell backward, dragging him down with her. They ended up on the bed: Allura on her back and Keith lying sprawled on top of her. They looked at each other in shock for a minute before they both burst into laughter.

"Really romantic, huh?" Allura asked between giggles.

"Yeah, well, I guess that's what we get," Keith agreed.

Allura stifled another yawn. Keith kept her gaze and placed a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. "Come on, Princess," he said, "Let's get some sleep." He pulled the covers back and slid in between the satin sheets on the large king-sized bed. Allura scrambled in after him, settling against his muscular chest with his arms wrapped around her.

"Night, Allura," Keith mumbled.

"Night," was all she could reply before she fell into a deep, contented slumber.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for sexual stuff. Things are getting more citrusy from here on. Please be warned and read at your own risk.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Promise

Keith awoke before the alarm the next morning. He was startled at first by the weight of a long, slender arm strewn across his chest. He looked down into eyes the color of the Lumos sky.

"Morning, Commander," Allura purred. She pulled herself up to kiss him gently.

Something primal and unexpected stirred in Keith. His reaction to her was instantaneous. Desire flooded his body; his blood roared and his senses were numbed. He was only aware of one aching need. He flipped Allura onto her back and lay on top of her, pressing his groin against her. She gasped at the suddenness of his passion.

His mouth hungrily took hers. Allura moaned softly as his mouth tantalized hers; she ran her fingers through his hair and down his strong back. He groaned as the need to touch her became almost too much for him to bear.

He slid his hands down her arms and across her belly. He stopped for a fraction of a second to look into her eyes. When he saw consent, he wasted no time in pulling her nightgown up and over her head. His hands slid across her firm belly and up to cup her perfect breasts.

Allura trembled at his touch. As her need became more intense, he groped and played with her. Her body was screaming for him. She moved her legs around his waist, so that her groin pushed against his. _This is it! _she thought. _Finally!_

The blaring of the alarm clock brought Keith to a screeching halt. He pounded the button on the alarm clock and groaned as he suddenly rolled away from Allura. She sat up, holding the blanket to her chest and looked at him in confusion and with slight annoyance.

"Why did you stop?" she demanded breathlessly, a little pout playing on her lips.

"Because," Keith responded huskily, "we have to be at breakfast in an hour."

"Your point?" Allura inquired, her eyebrows raised in question.

Keith looked at her, his dark eyes flashing. "An hour is not nearly enough time for what I plan to do to you." She drew back slightly at the intensity of his words. "Come on, we better get moving."

"But?" Allura protested.

He stopped her with another look. "We have tonight," he said quietly, "with nothing to stop us and no one to interrupt us. Come on!" She watched him as he headed to the shower and to get ready for the day. Allura lay back against the pillow, her senses on overdrive. It was going to be a long day.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T/M Innuendo and naughty thoughts :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Panic

The morning's parade and afternoon's festival were attended by thousands of people from all over. Keith and Allura loved getting lost in the crowd. It was very rare that they could enjoy anonymity and be like everyone else. They were just like every other young couple enjoying the food, rides, and carnival games. Most of all, they were just enjoying each other.

They headed back to the castle in the early afternoon. The grand ball was in a few hours and they were both hoping to catch a nap before the night's big event. Allura had an evening of bathing and primping to get to, and without her Nanny's help. Keith was hoping to find some time to call Arus and check on things before he also had to start getting ready for the ball.

They decided to head to separate bedrooms to rest, to prevent anything from detracting them from their naps. Allura was asleep the minute she stretched out on the king-sized bed, her head spinning with happy memories from this morning. Keith returned to the sitting area with his touchpad to call Arus.

"Castle Control, Planet Arus," Hunk's beefy face filled the computer screen. "Hey, Cap! How's your trip?"

"Hi, Hunk!" Keith greeted his friend with a smile. "It's great. How are things on the home front?"

"It's been quiet; no problems," Hunk replied. He cracked a smile. "Unless you count Nanny who has been wandering around the castle the last couple of days muttering to herself about impropriety and 'What will people think about the Princess?'" Hunk chuckled.

"I'm sure that has nothing to do with me," Keith grinned at Hunk.

"Nah!" Hunk responded. "Don't worry about it, Keith. She'll get over it. Just have a great time and tell Allura I said hi!"

"Will do, Hunk. Thanks," Keith said. "We should be home late tomorrow afternoon."

"Will do, Cap," Hunk said. "Arus, signing off." The screen went black. Keith rubbed his face with both hands and then glanced over at the clock. He had a couple of hours before he really needed to start getting ready. _A little nap won't hurt, _he thought. Keith put his feet up on the table and laid his head back on the couch and he zonked out immediately.

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Keith looked around groggily a couple of hours later. The sound of water running and then a door slamming pulled him from his sleepy haze. He opened his eyes and tried to focus. It was late afternoon and he was sitting on the couch of the suite that he and Allura shared. The sound of a blow dryer started behind Allura's closed door.

He stood and walked to the door. He knocked and waited. When she didn't answer, he gently pushed the door open and walked into the room. She was standing in front of the vanity mirror with her head hanging upside down. She was attempting to dry her mass of golden curls. His eyes widened as he realized that she was wearing nothing but a towel. He gulped and tried to back out of the room without her noticing him.

Too late! Either she sensed him or caught his reflection in the mirror. She whirled around to face him, a look of panic on her face.

"I can't get my hair to do anything!" she cried, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. She had the blow dryer in one hand, the brush in the other, and her hair was covering half of her face. She looked a little like cousin It from the old Addams family show. "I have never had to get ready for a ball without Nanny before. Look at my hair; it's a mess!"

Keith walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her so that she faced him. "Allura, stop," he said. "You're always beautiful." He tried to reassure her. "Why don't you keep things simple? What are you wearing?"

"That," she replied, pointing to a fluffy poof of turquoise fabric hanging on the closet door. Keith couldn't make heads or tails out of the dress, but he knew Allura would look amazing in the color.

"Why don't you just pull your hair up into a French braid?" Keith suggested. "You know I love it like that." He planted a small kiss on her lips, keeping his eyes level with her face. He was trying to keep his eyes up so he wouldn't be tempted to rid Allura of her towel.

Allura looked thoughtful for a moment and then turned back to the mirror. "That's a good idea," she murmured. "I can do that myself." She returned to the mirror and began brushing the knots from the golden strands.

Keith's eyes moved up and down her form again. He groaned as he felt his body react in anticipation of things to come. "Excuse me," a musical voice brought him back to the present. "Do you mind? I need to finish getting ready," Allura coaxed. "And so do you."

Keith smiled as he left the room. He headed to the bathroom to take yet another cold shower.

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An hour later, Keith stood pacing in the sitting room, fidgeting in his dress uniform. It was just about time for the ball to start and Allura had yet to emerge from her room.

Keith turned suddenly at the sound of the door opening. Everything stopped for him in that moment. Standing in front of him was a vision in turquoise. The color was perfect for Allura's creamy complexion. Her eyes glowed as they seemed to pick up the color from the dress. The bodice was strapless; it revealed her slender shoulders and toned arms. A glimpse of cleavage rose above the sweetheart neckline. The mermaid silhouette hugged the curves of her lithe frame before the skirt flared out just below her knees. Her hair hung in a thick rope of a French braid, a few loose curls framing her beautiful face. His Princess was dazzling.

Allura smiled at Keith's obvious gawking. She loved that his mask was gone and that he allowed her to see his emotions play out on his face. She took a moment to take in her dashing commander standing in front of her. His black pants hung straight down from his narrow hips. His black boots gleamed with the perfect shine. Keith's white jacket was heavy with medals and insignias earned during his years of military service. He would outshine any prince attending the ball tonight.

"Shall we go, your Highness?" he offered his arm.

"We shall, Commander," she answered as she took his proffered arm.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T for some innuendo and flirtation.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Ball

Allura and Keith arrived at the ball right on time. Heads turned to get a glimpse of the radiant princess and her handsome escort as they passed by. They headed across the ballroom to sit with Prince Cedric and his date.

"Evening, Majesty," Keith said warmly as they approached the couple. "This is amazing!"

"Thank you, Commander," he turned to Allura. "You look beautiful." He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, Cedric," Allura accepted his compliment graciously, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. She turned to Tatiana. "You are exquisite," she complimented the young teacher. Tatiana curtsied awkwardly in acceptance of Allura's words. Her satin amber dress was the color of her eyes and set off the golden highlights in her hair. Allura gave Tatiana a quick hug to put her at ease.

"Thank you, your Highness," Tatiana's smile was radiant.

"Dinner is about to be served," Cedric interrupted as he offered Tatiana his arm and turned to lead his guests into the ballroom. Keith offered his arm to Allura and the exquisite couple followed the Prince and his love inside.

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Four courses and a large dessert later, the dancing part of the evening was officially getting started. Tables were cleared from the dance floor and the band began to play. Cedric swept Tatiana into the first waltz. Keith and Allura opted to sit the first dance out to let their food settle.

A handsome, fair-haired prince approached their table. Allura offered a smile and then turned her attention back to Keith. The prince continued to stand their awkwardly, staring at Allura.

"Yes?" she finally offered.

"Would you care to dance, your Highness? I am Prince Melork from Planet Madong," he bowed to her and then smiled up at her toothily.

Allura looked at the Prince and then looked at Keith. Keith was trying really hard to hide his smile behind his hand. Allura could tell from his lack of reaction that she was on her own. She looked back at the Prince. "Um…no thank you!" she said politely with a smile.

Prince Melork was taken aback. "Why not?" he demanded, staring blankly at Allura.

Allura blinked. "Because I'm here with someone," she replied haughtily.

"Who?" The Prince looked around dumbly before looking back at Allura.

"Him!" Allura replied pointing at Keith. Prince Melork finally seemed to notice Keith and glanced his way. Keith waved his hand and smiled.

"But he's a … commoner. I thought he was just your body guard," the prince exclaimed in astonishment.

Allura stood up and clasped Keith's hand. She pulled him to his feet. She was about done with the Prince's stupidity. "He is. He guards and treats my body very well, thank you. Now if you would please excuse us!" She pulled Keith after her onto the dance floor. When she glanced back at Prince Melork, he was staring after her, his mouth hanging open.

"The nerve of some people," she muttered as she settled into Keith's arms as they began the waltz. "Can you believe that?"

Keith chuckled. "Maybe we should just put an end to all the speculation once and for all," he murmured as his eyes darkened slightly. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her gently in front of everyone in the room. An audible gasp let them know that they were being watched.

Neither of them cared. The kiss was a promise of things to come.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claims to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Definitely M for some sexual stuff, nothing explicit.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Swim

It was 11:30 before the ball finally would down. Keith and Allura spent the night dancing, cuddling, and kissing, oblivious to the stares and whispers around them. They kept close company with Cedric and Tatiana, laughing, joking, and drinking champagne. Allura was tipsy for the first time in her life and it left her feeling wonderful: confident and uninhibited.

Keith and Allura made their way to back to their suite arm in arm. Both were hot and sweaty from the warm and crowded ballroom. Allura looked at Keith as they made their way into their quarters.

"That was wonderful!" she gushed, throwing her arms around Keith's neck. "I love being able to just be with you! "

"Yes, but did you see the disappointed looks on the princes' faces when they realized we were not only there together, but that we were _together_," Keith chuckled. He had received quite a few dirty looks when it became apparent that the eligible Princess Allura was off the market. "Are you tired?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Not at all," she replied huskily, a gleam in her eye. "Are you?"

"No," he replied simply, his dark eyes holding her gaze. His eyebrow cocked in question.

"How about a swim?" Allura suggested suddenly. "Cedric mentioned that there was a small lake next to the castle gardens. A swim would be refreshing after the hot ball." She learned over to whisper seductively. "I bet we will have the whole lake to ourselves."

"Sounds good," Keith replied. "Let's change and meet back here in 10 minutes."

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Allura had just finished putting on her slinky blue bikini. The two triangular shaped pieces of fabric barely covered her full breasts. Her taut nipples strained against the shimmery fabric. The bottoms were cut high and tied along her hips, giving her legs the appearance that they were ten miles long. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the slight apprehension that washed over her. She knew this was it; she intended to give herself to Keith tonight. There was no way Keith could say no once he saw her in this. Pulling her robe on and securing it at her waist, she left her room to accompany Keith to the lake.

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The lake was beautiful. Small in size, it was really more a pond than a lake. It was secluded, surrounded on all sides by lush green trees and plants. There was a small beach with a few chaise lounges set up. It was dark, the only light coming from Lumos's two moons.

Keith spread his towel on one of the chaises and looked around. He was surprised they were alone. Despite the lateness of the hour, the warm air was thick with humidity. The cool water would feel refreshing after being stuck in his stuffy dress uniform all night.

Allura had excused herself to use the nearby restroom, leaving Keith to himself for a few minutes. He thought back to the last several weeks. Since he and Allura had acknowledged their feelings for each other, his world had been in an uproar. He never imagined he could feel for someone the way he felt about her. He never imagined someone like her could love him back. Then with Koran's permission and Nanny having agreed to stay out of the way, their relationship had evolved quickly, though cautiously.

He stood at the water's edge, dipping his toes into the cool water. A small shiver went down his spine, not because of the water's temperature, but because this weekend trip confirmed in his head what his heart already knew. He was head over heels in love with Princess Allura. A small sound behind him caught his attention and his soldier's instincts caused him to spin around. He took a defensive stance while he looked at his intruder. His eyes bugged and his throat instantly went dry.

Allura was walking toward him, clad only in two thin strips of fabric. His eyes raked over her slender form: toned shoulders and arms, luscious, full breasts, flat stomach, dancer's legs. His eyes traveled back to her beautiful face, a small smile playing on her pink lips. He bit his lips as he fought to control the urge to take her right at that moment.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue," she purred. She stepped up to him and trailed her fingernails across his chest before she walked past him to the water's edge. Without hesitation, she dove into the crystal clear water, leaving Keith behind.

He shook himself out of his stupor and dove in after her, surfacing a few feet away. She smiled at him as he swam toward her, his eyes black with desire. His arms circled her waist and he pulled her to him, her nipples digging against his muscular chest. He dropped his mouth to hers. She moaned lightly against him and that cued him to break away.

"I refuse to take you here," he growled, his eyes revealing his primal lust. "Though I am tempted." He reached for her again.

She splashed at him playfully as she swam out of his grasp. "What's the hurry?" she implored. "We have all night."

"Grrrr," came his response. She allowed him to embrace her again. Allura laid her head on Keith's shoulder. They stood there for several moments, the cool water lapping around their heated bodies, a slight breeze rippling the surface of the water.

"I love you, Keith," Allura spoke first, breaking the silence. "I have never been so sure of anything. I am so happy we woke up and realized what was between us."

"Me, too, Allura," Keith murmured in reply. "I love you and I promise to, forever."

"How much do you love me?" All seriousness was gone. Allura looked at him mischievously. She nipped at his ear before she whispered, "Are you ready to show me?" She dunked him under the water and swam quickly away.

He came up sputtering and gave chase, catching her as she got to their towels. Allura giggled as he scooped her up into his arms, grabbing their towels as well in one swoop. He silenced her with a deep kiss. "Ready?" he asked.

"Um hmmm," Allura replied as her carried her back toward the castle.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Thank you so much for all the positive comments. Sorry to leave you with that last cliffhanger, but I wanted to make sure this next chapter is right. I am a little nervous about it; it's the first time I have written something of this nature. If you have any constructive advice for how to make it better, please PM me.

Definitely M. Read at your risk!

Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Finally

As they made their way back to their suite, towels in tow, the castle halls were deserted. Allura and Keith walked quickly. Keith looked straight ahead, an anxious smile playing on his face. Allura kept glancing up at him.

Feeling her eyes on him, Keith finally stopped and looked at her. "What?" he asked.

Allura smiled seductively, a gleam in her eye, and then she glanced around. The coast was clear. No one was around. Allura threw herself into Keith's arms, pushing him into the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers. When their lips met, she kissed him hungrily. The fires of barely contained desire that had been smoldering all day flamed to life. Keith wrapped his arms around Allura's waist and he feverishly returned her kiss.

He pulled back suddenly, much to her chagrin. With a look of sheer determination, he grabbed Allura's hand and stalked quickly down the hall with a new purpose. Allura had to almost run to keep up with his long and determined steps.

When they finally arrived at the door to their suite, their bodies were at a fever pitch in anticipation. Keith fumbled with the code twice before the door finally swished open. He walked through and pulled her quickly in behind him. They wasted no time.

Keith scooped her up into his arms and carried her into her bedroom. He lay her down on the massive king-sized bed. She giggled softly as she pulled him down on top of her. His mouth found hers, devouring her as if he were starving. Keith slid on top of her, their lack of clothing allowing for maximum contact.

After several minutes, Keith broke the kiss and struggled to his feet. He pulled Allura up to meet him, his eyes searching hers. She held his steady gaze and took a step back from him. His breath hitched as he watched her reach behind her back to untie her bikini top. The fabric loosened as she completely undid the knot. She let the top fall to the floor. She stood before him in topless glory, her beautiful breasts standing high and firm. Her eyes flamed as she took a step toward him.

She reached out to him and ran her hands down his arms. He clumsily tried to touch her, wanting to feel her soft skin. Allura shook her head and gently placed her hands on his arms; she coaxed them to lie at his sides. She wanted to see and touch him. "Wow," she muttered. "What a magnificent view." She ran her fingers down the line of his chest. Her touch was as soft as a butterfly's as she ran her hands over his sculpted pecs and hard abdominals. His eyes were closed as he reveled at her touch. Keith stood still for a heartbeat and allowed Allura to enjoy the unobstructed view and feel of his amazing upper body. When he could take no more, he reached for her and pulled her back into his embrace. His arms slid slowly up her arms and then he ran his fingers lightly down her spine. She trembled at his touch.

Allura moaned as Keith's hands slid around to cup her naked breasts. Allura threw her head back in ecstasy as he kneaded, flicked, and groped her bosom. A heaviness formed in her nether regions as he turned tantalizing attention to her nipples. He pushed her back toward the bed where he lay her down gently once again. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feel of his battle hardened hands on the soft, tender flesh of her breasts and stomach. A new sensation greeted her and almost made her jump out of her skin when she felt his mouth take over where his hands had left off. Keith kissed and sucked each nipple in turn, never taking his hands away from her heated skin. His tongue traced up the curve of her neck to find her luscious mouth once again.

Allura's insides were humming. She was on fire as she raked her hands down Keith's back and grabbed his behind, pulling his groin against her. He groaned as his hardness pressed into her intimate place.

"Allura," Keith gasped. She ran her hands along the waistband of his trunks from the side to the front, her hands tickling his abs along the way. She tried to push his trunks down and off his hips, the feel of those muscular indentations at his hips flaming her desire. "Hold on," Keith gasped again. "I need to go to my room and get protection…"

Confusion colored Allura's desire-filled eyes, "Protection?" she questioned.

He struggled to catch his breath. "Condoms," he blurted out as he continued to move away from her toward the door.

"Condoms?" she questions again.

"You don't want to get pregnant, do you?" he asked in frustration, wanting to get back to what they had started.

"Oh," she responded, the light coming on. "We don't need to worry about that. I'm on pregnancy inhibitors. I asked Dr. Gorma…" She never finished her sentence. Keith was across the room in a flash, his mouth was on hers again instantly.

Keith did not waste another moment. He hitched his trunks down and over his hips, kicking them off to the side of the bed, forgotten. Finally free of its confines, his arousal stood firm and proud for Allura to peruse. He kneeled down on the edge of the bed, his black as night eyes searching her sapphire ones. Allura smiled seductively and licked her lips. She reached down to her own hips and pulled at the ties on either side of her bikini bottoms. She slackened the blue string and removed the last of her clothing. She lay back against the pillows in all her naked glory, the position of her body an open invitation to him, to her love.

Keith lay on top of her, his mouth kissing hers again in anticipation. With no more barriers between them, Keith pushed his groin into Allura's stomach. She responded with a gasp at the length and feel of his velvety steel shaft. "Please, Keith," she begged. His eyes met hers; their joint desire begged to be released. She opened her legs to him and he pushed himself inside her. The feel of her was incredible; he fought the urge to sheath himself in her all at once. They lay still for several seconds, relishing the feel of the joining of their bodies. She adjusted to his fullness and slowly began moving beneath him. Her lips sought his again and he moved along with her. She moaned with each thrust, her vocalizations causing him to push deeper and move faster. She arched her back into him encouraging him along. Her ecstasy built and built until she finally exploded around him. One, two, three more thrusts, and he joined her in heaven.

They both lay there, spent and exhausted. Keith finally pulled himself out of her and gathered her against him, pulling her into his arms. "You ok?" he whispered, dark eyes meeting light.

"Wonderful," she replied. "You?"

"Never better," he murmured as exhaustion overcame his senses. With a sigh, he closed his eyes, joining his love in slumber.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Another M rating for explicit sexual stuff. You have been warned!

Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Surprise

Keith opened one eye and blinked at the bright sunlight streaming in the window. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was already 10 am. He poked at the naked Princess sleeping next to him.

"Hmmm?" she mumbled, turning over and arching her back as she stretched. He felt himself instantly harden again at the sight of her lovely breasts being thrust into the air.

"Allura, it's 10:00. We missed breakfast. We need to be in the air by 3:00. We better get going," he coaxed, spooning against her as he placed a kiss on her neck.

She rubbed her eyes and looked at him sleepily. "I don't want to go yet," she murmured. She smiled as she felt his hardness pressing against her thigh. She pulled herself up and threw her leg over him. "I don't think you do either," she murmured with a teasing smile.

He moaned, a deep guttural sound, as she slid on top of him, straddling his hips. She began rubbing against him, her breasts brushing gently against his chest and her intimate place sliding up and down his shaft. She let out a very un-Princesslike grunt as she felt him left her hips and slide inside her. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She was able to control her movements while she gazed into the handsome face of Keith, his face locked into an expression of extreme lust and pleasure.

She rode him, enjoying the pressure of the build-up, until she screamed out her release. He grabbed her and flipped her over onto the bed. He took over control, going deeper and deeper, harder and harder, until he brought her to the brink again. Just as he felt her tighten in climax for a second time, he let himself go.

He kissed her lightly on the forehead as he rolled off her and slipped his arm around her. "Being with you is unlike anything I've ever experienced before," he whispered into her hair. "I feel like I'll never get enough of you."

Allura looked into his handsome face. She ran a finger along his strong jawline. She sighed in disappointment. "What's going to happen when we go home? Though I have put my foot down with Nanny and Koran, there's no way we will be able to co-habitate." Her eyes glazed over in thought before she continued, "I don't think I can go back to the way things were before."

"What if we don't have to?" Keith asked thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Allura asked in confusion.

"I'll be right back," he jumped out of the bed and ran from the room. She giggled as she watched his naked backside leave through the door. He returned a moment later with his red pajama bottoms on and a small box in his hand. She sat up and pulled the blanket over her chest as he sat down next to her.

"Allura," he began as he ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "We've known each other for four years. In those four years, you have become one of my best friends. I know that us being romantically involved as a couple is relatively new, but we have loved each other for years." He paused, looking into her eyes, pleading with her to understand.

"Ok," was all she could say.

He continued, "Allura, what I'm trying to say I don't want to wait. I'm almost 27; you'll be 24. We've wasted enough time." He paused again and opened the small box. Nestled inside, on a sea of velvet, was an exquisite diamond ring. The stone was a large single solitaire set onto a simple platinum band. The diamond sparkled in the late morning light. "Allura, will you marry me?"

Allura gasped. She brought both hands up to her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks. She was speechless. She never expected this.

Keith looked at her anxiously, his eyebrows raised. "Well?" he pleaded.

"Yes!" she shouted as she threw herself at him. They kissed deeply, her bare breasts tickling his chest. He pulled away and covered her with the blanket. He then placed the ring on her left ring finger. It fit perfectly. "Oh Keith," she gushed. "It's beautiful."

"It belonged to my grandmother," he informed her quietly. "When we got together officially, I had my brother send it, just in case. I knew I would propose eventually." He laughed. "I wasn't planning on it this weekend."

"Then why?" Allura's voice trailed off.

"Because I thought what the hell!" he laughed. "Also because I don't ever want to wake up without you ever again. This weekend spoiled me."

Allura giggled. She admired her beautiful ring. "So when should we get hitched?" she inquired.

"As soon as possible," Keith stated emphatically. "How long will it take Nanny to make the preparations? I don't want to wait."

"I can't imagine it would take long," Allura said thoughtfully. "She's been planning my wedding since my birth."

Keith chuckled. He leaned over to kiss his fiancée again. "Let's go home and share our good news."

Allura smiled mischievously. "Let's celebrate alone first," she purred as she returned the kiss and dropped the blanket covering her body.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for some language.

Happy Thanksgiving! Thought I'd post a bonus chapter as we prepare our turkeys and stuffing!

Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Homecoming

After they dressed, they met Prince Cedric as he was leaving the dining room. It turned out that they hadn't missed breakfast after all. Cedric had arranged that a continental breakfast be available for guests who would be leaving at different times throughout the day Sunday.

"Morning, Princess! Morning, Commander!" Cedric had greeted the couple. "Hope you slept well." He smiled knowingly. "There are bagels, fruit, and cheese left on the sideboard. Help yourself!"

"Thank you, Prince Cedric," Keith said.

"Look, Cedric," Allura interrupted. "Keith proposed." She flashed her left hand at Cedric. The light danced off the diamond.

Cedric grasped her hand and bellowed, "Congratulations you two! I am so happy for you." A genuine smile lit Cedric's face and a peace washed over him. He had done the right thing in letting Allura go. "Does Koran know?"

Keith answered, "Not yet. We'll call Koran when we are done eating. We will let everyone else know when we return to Arus."

"I am sure he will be thrilled. Both he and the people of Arus hold you in high regard, Captain. Allura, you will make a fine Queen with such a strong King by your side." Cedric gave Allura a friendly hug and neither noticed that Keith flinched slightly at the mention of becoming King.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Allura sat in the passenger seat of Blue Lion lost in thought. She couldn't help but stare at the diamond ring on her hand. It felt completely foreign yet completely right sitting there.

She glanced at the back of her fiance's head. _Fiance, _she thought. _Keith and I are going to get married._ Her head was spinning as she thought about everything that had happened in the past 24 hours. She smiled to herself as she thought about how 2 days could so drastically turn your life in a new and exciting direction.

Now, their trip was over. They were about 10 minutes from Arussian airspace. She was so excited to see Koran and Nanny and the rest of the Voltron Force. Keith had called Koran via his touchpad to inform him of their good news. They didn't want her guardian and advisor to be blindsided when they arrived home from Lumos. He was pleased as punch for the fairy tale couple. Keith and Allura asked him to keep the big news to himself for the time being. They wanted to be the ones to share their engagement with Nanny, Romelle, Sven, Lance, and the rest of the Force. An excited sigh escaped Allura's lips as she stared transfixed at the majestic view of Arus coming up on the viewscreen.

"You ok, sweetheart?" Keith asked. His dark eyes twinkled as he turned around in the pilot's seat to look at her. He watched with a wry smile as she subconsciously twirled her engagement ring around her finger.

"I'm wonderful," she stretched lightly. "I am just excited to be home."

"Me, too," Keith murmured in reply. "I love you," he said, the depth of his feelings evident on his face.

"I love you, too," Allura replied. She was interrupted by the sound of the sensors beeping. They had arrived in Arussian airspace.

"Welcome home, your Majesties," came Koran's cultured rumble over Blue Lion's comm. Keith flinched at the title. "You are cleared for landing."

Keith guided Blue through the atmosphere toward her resting place in the lake. The Castle of Lions stood proudly on the cliff overlooking the water. The Castle twinkled in the evening light, as if to welcome the Princess and her official consort home.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Keith and Allura emerged from Blue Lion's launch into Castle Control. Koran and the Voltron Force were there to meet them. Koran wore a blank expression on his face, so as not to give away anything to the others who were gathered to greet Keith and Allura. Romelle embraced Allura in a gigantic hug, almost lifting her off her feet as Sven stood back with a smirk. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk smiled at their Commander. Nanny was nowhere to be seen.

Koran bowed to the Princess. "Welcome home, Highness," he greeted her warmly. "I take it you had a wonderful trip."

"We did, Koran," Allura exclaimed. "It was wonderful."

"Hey Cap," Lance called as he walked over to his best friend. He gave Keith a punch on the arm. He lowered his voice so only Keith could hear him. "I hope you scored." Keith shot him one of his death looks. Lance just smiled. He turned to greet Allura with a warm hug as Keith greeted Hunk and Pidge.

"So Skipper," Pidge said. "Koran summoned us to be here to greet you. So what's up? What's going on?" He studied the couple for a minute, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Hunk implored. "It's time for my afternoon snack!" Keith chuckled and shook his head at the Yellow Lion pilot.

It was Allura who answered. "Well," she began. "We have some news." She glanced around. "But we were hoping to share it with all of you." She turned and looked at Koran. "Where is Nanny?"

Koran clasped his hands behind his back. "I am sorry, Highness," he soothed. "Nanny would not leave her dinner preparations. She sends her regrets and said she will see you at dinner."

Allura looked deflated, disappointment coloring her face. Keith moved to place a supportive arm around her waist. Allura smiled at his thoughtful gesture. She recovered quickly and looked back at her friends. "Well, no bother," she continued. "Keith and I have some news," she repeated her statement as she removed her gloves from first her right then her left hand.

The diamond on her left hand caught the light. Beams of light danced around the room, the reflections glittering off the walls and the ceiling. Romelle shrieked and stepped forward to grab Allura's left hand. Lance's eyes boggled as he caught a glimpse of the ring. He recognized it as Keith's grandmother's ring.

"What the fuck is that?" Lance exclaimed. "What the fuck, Keith Kogane? Is that what I think it is?" Lance looked from Keith to Allura back to Keith again. "Holy fuck!" he cursed again.

Koran glared at Lance. "Really, Lieutenant," he scolded. "There is no need for that kind of language in front of their Highnesses." Keith flinched.

Lance ignored Koran. He grabbed Keith in a bear hug and then launched himself at Allura, grabbing her and twirling her around. "It's about fucking time!" he shouted. "Congratulations, you two!"

Pidge stepped forward to hug Allura and then saluted Keith. "Congrats, Princess, Commander! I am really happy for you and for Arus."

Hunk pumped Keith's hand enthusiastically. He then placed a tender kiss on Allura's cheek. "That is awesome. I am so happy for the two of you." She smiled at the big guy.

Tears streamed down Romelle's face as her own husband came up behind her in a supportive hug. Sven smiled at his wife before he looked at Keith and Allura. "I know you will be as happy as Romelle and I are." Romelle nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys," Allura replied. She was so overcome by the outpouring of love and support that she and Keith had just received from her friends and teammates. She turned to Koran. He was gazing at her with a look of love and fatherly pride. He held his arms out to her and she melted into his embrace.

"I am so proud of you," he whispered into her hair. "I could not have chosen a more suitable husband had I picked him myself." She felt a gentle kiss on her head. "And Commander," Koran turned his gaze to Keith. "You had better get used to being called 'Highness' and 'Majesty.' It's the way that you will be addressed once you are married and you become King."

Allura giggled at the scowl that crossed Keith's face. "Don't worry, Koran," she teased. "Nanny will teach my fiancé all the propriety and etiquette he needs to be my Royal Consort." A shadow passed over Allura's face as she remembered that Nanny still didn't know their good news.

Keith put his arm around her shoulders again. "It's ok, Allura," he murmured. "We will give her our good news at dinner."

Allura sighed, "Ok."

Koran's communicator chirped. Nanny's voice bellowed over the speaker. "Dinner will be ready promptly at 6. Please don't be late."

Keith put an arm around Allura as he led her out of Castle Control. He smiled to himself as he thought, _It's good to be home._


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T for suggestion and innuendo

Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Forgiven

Keith made his way quickly down to the Castle kitchens. Dinner was to begin in half an hour and there was something that Keith wanted to take care of before everyone sat down to eat dinner. He had decided that he needed to set things right with Nanny for both her and for Allura.

He had seen the look on Allura's face when Nanny wasn't there to greet them when they arrived home from Lumos. Though she hadn't said anything, Keith knew that Allura was crushed. She was unusually quiet as he walked her to her chambers. With a gentle kiss, he persuaded her to take a bath and relax before they had to report for dinner. She absent-mindedly twirled her ring on her finger before she begrudgingly conceded.

Once her door was closed, Keith hurried away. He stopped briefly at his own room to change out of his flight suit and freshen up. And here he was, standing outside the door to the main castle kitchen. He took a deep breath before he walked inside.

The sight of the handsome Commander of the Voltron Force walking with purpose across the industrial kitchen of the Castle of Lions brought the work of the kitchen staff to a screeching halt. They were unnerved by his presence and stopped to stare. Keith didn't seem to notice and glanced around the large space for Nanny. He spotted her near the restaurant style stove stirring gravy for tonight's dinner.

Keith approached Nanny cautiously. He gulped when he noticed the wooden spoon in her hand. "Nanny?" he called when he was sure she was in earshot.

Nanny either ignored him or didn't hear him. He tried again, "Nanny?"

"What?" she snarled as she whipped around. Her eyes flicked over the Commander in disgust before she noticed that her entire staff was staring at them. "Back to work!" she yelled. "Nothing to see here!" She swung her wooden spoon around to emphasize her point. The kitchen immediately erupted into a flurry of activity as everyone got back to work.

Keith took a step back when he saw the look on her face and the wooden spoon flying around. "C-C-Can I talk to you?" he stammered. "In private?"

"Ack!" Nanny exclaimed as she threw the spoon back into the pot of gravy. She stomped out of the kitchen into the adjacent dining room, Keith trailing behind her. When the door closed, she turned to face him, an ugly scowl on her face. "What?" she snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

Keith stared at Nanny. He had seen her angry before, but never this angry. And never had the anger been so blatantly directed toward him. He took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you about Allura…"

"Allura!" Nanny shouted. "Allura! You want to talk to me about Allura!" The words tumbled from Nanny's mouth. "You have _changed _her! You have _corrupted _her! I am sure that after this weekend, you have _deflowered_ her!" Keith's eyes blazed at that comment as Nanny's rant rumbled on. "She has always listened to me. She has always treated me with respect." She stuck a finger in Keith's face. "I have never been treated with such insolence, and you are to blame. You may have Koran fooled, but you can't fool me. You are nothing but a hooligan and you have ruined Allura! You have ruined my beautiful Princess!" Tears ran down Nanny's cheeks as she finally finished her tirade. She sat in the nearest chair, deflated. She looked up at Keith.

Keith seethed with anger, not because she berated _him_, but because she questioned and insulted the princess. He glared at her with clenched teeth. It took everything in his power not to punch the old woman. He took a deep, shaking breath. He closed his eyes before he stated, "I came to make amends. Allura loves you and the rift between you is breaking her heart." He stopped, his black eyes blazing. "I don't care what you think of me," he growled, "but don't you dare call into question the integrity of the Princess. She is an adult. She doesn't need you as her governess anymore; she needs you as her confidant and mother figure." Keith turned to walk away. As he reached the door, he paused and turned back to Nanny. "By the way," he said shortly, "Allura and I are getting married." He walked out the door.

Nanny looked up in shock as the door closed. "What?" she exclaimed. Nanny launched herself out of her chair and toward the door. She took off after Keith as he stomped down the hallway. "Keith!" she called after him. "Commander! Wait! Please!" She caught up with Keith before he got to the main stairs that would take him to Castle Control.

"What did you say?" She gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

Keith sighed as he looked down at her. "I proposed. She accepted. We are getting married." He turned to walk away again. "Whether you like it or not," he added under his breath.

"Commander! Keith! Son!" Nanny hiccupped. "I am so sorry! Can you ever forgive me? Oh my Allura! My Princess! She is going to be a bride!" Nanny's eyes pleaded with him to accept her apology. Keith's eyes searched Nanny's face. Her earnest expression assured Keith that she meant it.

Keith chuckled at the sight of the governess absolutely beside herself. She had done a complete one eighty. "Yes, Nanny," he confirmed. "But she's marrying this hooligan!" He flashed her a breathtakingly handsome smile. She melted and returned his smile tentatively.

She sobered as she smoothed down her skirt. "Yes, well," she stated. "Of all of you hooligans, you are certainly the most civilized. And it will be my job to turn you into a proper Royal Consort. We begin your lessons tomorrow!" she added, daring Keith to argue with her.

"Of course, Nanny," Keith chimed happily. He gave her a quick hug. His plan had worked. He had smoothed things over with Nanny and he knew all was forgiven. Now he and Allura could celebrate their engagement at dinner. "See you at dinner."

Nanny dabbed at her eyes as she watched Allura's fiancé walk away. She had never met someone with more noble a heart, except maybe Koran and King Alfor himself.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T for innuendo and fun.

Chapter 16: Celebration

Allura walked to dinner on Keith's arm. After his conversation with Nanny, Keith had immediately sought out Allura to tell her what had transpired. She was overcome with love and gratitude for what her fiancé had done. _I just can't get used to calling him that,_ she thought. She glanced up at Keith and caught his eye. The look of love and happiness in his eyes mirrored her own.

The door to the dining room swished open. Both Keith and Allura stopped dead in their tracks. The dining room was transformed from the way it looked when Keith had left it only 20 minutes before. The room was ablaze in candlelight. Blue and black balloons hung in clusters around the room. A banner, reading 'Congratulations,' was strung across the picture window. Romelle, Sven, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Koran and Nanny stood at their places around the table, flutes of champagne in their hands.

Tears threatened to fall as Allura took in the faces of the people she had come to love the most, the people who had become her family. Strong arms came around her and she looked up into the black eyes of the person she loved most of all, her protector, her commander, her lover, her friend. He smiled at her and then turned his attention to their friends, a look of pure bliss on his face. Even he was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love.

Koran cleared his throat as Keith and Allura were each handed a glass of champagne. "Today is a happy day," Koran said. "We celebrate the engagement of her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, to Captain Keith Kogane. A toast to their love and a lifetime of happiness."

"Here, here," came the response as everyone took a sip of champagne in celebration.

Allura took her seat at the head of the table with Keith to her right. Nanny reached to serve Allura her salad as Allura looked anxiously at her governess. She put a hand out to stop Nanny. "Nanny," she said gently. "Please join us as part of the celebration."

"I will, Princess," Nanny responded, "as soon as I serve your Majesties." Nanny winked at Keith.

Allura caught the exchange and turned back to Nanny. "Are we ok, Nanny?" she asked.

"We are more than ok, child," Nanny replied with tears in her eyes. "I am elated for you." She wiped her face with her handkerchief. "We have a wedding to plan!" she exclaimed to the group.

Romelle clapped her hands as the rest of the food was served. "Yes, we do! There's so much to think about: your dress, the food, flowers, the grand ball…."

Allura smiled at Romelle as Keith groaned. "Hold on Romelle. Nanny," Allura warned. "Keith and I want a small wedding."

"Yes," Keith repeated. "Only close friends and family. We don't need Doom and Lotor to get wind of a big to do."

"When do you want to get married?" Koran inquired.

"As soon as possible," Keith and Allura replied in unison, catching each other's eyes. The look of love and lust did not go unnoticed by the others in the room.

"Anxious to get back in bed, huh?" Lance snorted. Keith shot him a dirty look while Allura's face flamed red.

"Lance," Nanny scolded. She turned back to the Princess. "It takes time to plan these things…" she continued, turning back to Allura.

"Two weeks, Nanny," Keith interrupted. "You have two weeks. If not, we elope."

Nanny looked at Allura who nodded in agreement. Nanny looked desperately at Koran, who just shrugged. "Ok," she relented, "two weeks! I can pull together a wonderful grand, I mean small, wedding in two weeks." She beamed at Allura.

Allura returned her smile, a tender look in her sapphire eyes. "I know you can, Nanny." She turned back to the group. "Now let's eat before this gets cold!"

"Hell, yeah!" Hunk agreed, and the members of the dinner party jovially dug into their meals.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. Other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated T for innuendo and fun.

Chapter 17: Plans

The announcement of the engagement went out to the Council members the next day. Though there was a small backlash about the fact that Keith was not Arussian or of royalty, Koran's presentation of the clause in the law and his persistence that Allura had his full support was enough to squash the resistance. They respected Keith enough to acknowledge the loyalty and sacrifice he had made for Arus and for their princess. They also conceded that his leadership skills and military training were ideal qualities for their future King. The Council members swore their loyalty to their soon-to-be King and Queen and accepted Keith as Allura's official Royal Consort.

Royal tradition called for a big, formal announcement to be made to the people of Arus so that they could celebrate in the engagement of their Princess and her Royal Consort. Both Keith and Allura showed a united front against such an announcement. They were concerned that Lotor and Doom would immediately retaliate at the news that Princess Allura was betrothed. The choice of groom would add more fuel to the fire, considering the hatred between Lotor and Keith. A formal announcement would be made only after the nuptials had taken place. Keith was correct when he had made the innocent statement that Allura would be the monarch to change all the rules.

Allura barely managed to keep Nanny reined in as the wedding plans began to take shape. Nanny agreed to keep the guest list small, inviting only close friends and family from Arus, Lumos, and Earth. She did, however, insist on a formal dinner and ball. Allura had agreed to the concessions. It was also important to Allura that some Earth traditions be observed for Keith's sake. Keith had asked both Sven and Lance to serve as the Best Men, with Pidge, Hunk, and Keith's brother, Kurt, rounding out the groom's attendants. Allura decided that Romelle would serve as her matron-of-honor, while Prince Cedric's Tatiana and Kurt's fiancée Miah would serve as bridesmaids. Allura and Tatiana had become fast friends during the weekend trip to Lumos and had talked almost every day since; Miah would one day be her sister-in-law and Allura wanted to get that relationship started on the right foot.

The one thing that Nanny would not negotiate on was the matter of Allura's dress. She insisted that Allura wear her mother's dress. When Allura's mother died, it was Nanny who was given the task of going through and cleaning out the Queen's personal effects. She had found her beautiful wedding gown in the back of the Queen's closet. With special care, she had cleaned and repaired the stunning gown. She wrapped it in tissue paper and laid it in a sealed box that was then taken into the caves when Doom initially attacked. Nanny knew that the fair Queen would want her daughter to wear the dress on her wedding day. The dress was pristine when Nanny removed the garment from its tissue paper wrappings.

"Here it is, Highness," Nanny sighed. "As beautiful as the day your mother wore it. What do you think?" She held the ivory satin and lace gown up for Allura to see.

"Oh, Nanny," Allura cried. "It's more beautiful than I imagined. The pictures I have seen of my parents on their wedding day did not do the gown justice."

"Come, let's try this on you," Nanny insisted.

After several minutes of fighting with the yards of material, Nanny finished zipping the dress up. "It fits as if it were made for you. Turn around and look at yourself in the mirror," Nanny whispered, her voice heavy with happy tears. "From Princess to bride."

Allura slowly turned around to face the mirror. She gasped and her knees went weak when she caught sight of her reflection. Nanny was right; the dress looked like it was made for her. The dress was ivory and warmed her creamy complexion. It had a simple A-line shape, hugging her small waist before it skimmed her hips and flowed out to fall to the floor. The bodice of the dress was strapless with a simple sweetheart neckline. The main part of the dress was made from a heavy satin. Lying atop the satin was an intricate Arussian lace that had been ordered and made specifically for the late Queen. It rose higher than the sweetheart neckline and demurely covered Allura's cleavage. The lace also flowed all the way down the skirt. Embroidered into the lace were thousands of crystals that caught the afternoon light as Allura turned to take in the dress at every angle. Allura was so overcome with emotion she could barely speak.

"Your mother would be so proud," Nanny said gently, coming up behind Allura and placing her hands lovingly on the Princess's arms. The governess's eyes met Allura's in the mirror.

Suddenly, the door swished open and Allura squealed and tried to cover herself, expecting it to be Keith. In walked Romelle instead. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her cousin. "Allura," she breathed, "you look beautiful."

"Thank you," she smiled shyly. "Would it be vain for me to say I feel beautiful?"

"Ack!" Nanny bellowed. "Not at all. A bride should feel beautiful on her wedding day. It looks like it fits just fine. A few minor repairs and then a cleaning and freshening and it will be all ready for Saturday."

"Can you believe you are getting married on Saturday?" Romelle squealed. "These last two weeks have gone so fast."

"I know," Allura agreed. A wave of emotion passed over Allura, a combination of excitement and apprehension. "My whole relationship with Keith has gone so fast." She sighed.

"What is that?" Romelle questioned. "Is that hesitation I hear? You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

Allura looked down at her engagement ring. "No, not at all," Allura insisted. "My whole life has just been a whirlwind these last few months. I am just ready to settle in and find my new normal."

"Becoming Queen and having Keith as your husband will be anything but normal," Romelle noted.

Allura giggled. "You're probably right." A delicious shiver ran down her spine. "Keith will be my husband." A radiant smile spread across her face as Nanny finished fussing with the wedding dress and helped Allura step out of it. Allura quickly stepped back into her standard pink gown and pulled it up. She turned so that Romelle could pull up the zipper. "Speaking of my soon-to-be-husband, where is he? I feel like I haven't seen him in days."

"Oh, he's with Lance and Sven planning something called a 'bachelor party.' They shooed me out of the room when the discussion came up. I guess it's a Terran tradition, sort of a right-of-passage for a man who is about to become a husband," Romelle explained.

"Why can't you be there? Why can't we be there?" Allura exclaimed. "I want to be included to celebrate Keith's right-of-passage."

"It's for men only," Romelle stated. "At least that's the explanation that was given to me."

Allura raised her eyebrows. She crossed her arms across her chest. "We will see about that," she huffed.

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Keith shook his head for the umpteenth time that afternoon. "No, Lance," he growled. "That's not going to happen." He sighed. "Did I ever mention that I even wanted a Bachelor Party?"

"No," Lance said, "but you have no choice in the matter. As your Best Man, it is my job to ensure that you have a Bachelor Party."

"Yes," Sven agreed. "It is our right as the Best _Men_." He looked pointedly at Lance. "That we get to plan one."

"Fine," Keith relented. "But I mean it. Keep things low key. No strippers, no porn, limited alcohol. I want to be able to face Allura on Saturday." He glanced over at the clock. "You two need to go. Koran is meeting me for our next 'Royalty' lesson. I will be glad when all this bullshit is over."

"Have fun with that!" Lance's voice oozed sarcasm. "Come on, Sven. Let's go work on our party plans." Sven glanced back at Keith and quirked his eyebrow as he followed Lance out the door.

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Keith leaned back in his chair, his head swimming. Koran had just left after his hour long lesson about the coronation and a brief overview of what life would be like after Keith became King. Normally, a Royal Consort would have completed all necessary classes and preparations well in advance of the wedding. But because of the swift timeline, Keith needed to continue his royalty lessons after he and Allura married. It was one of the concessions that the Council had handed down, and it was one that Keith was more than willing to make. He was regretting it at this moment, however. He sighed as he thought of the months ahead of him spent in close study with both Koran and Nanny.

Nanny had also been true to her word. He awoke the day after their engagement party to find Nanny waiting for him outside his bedroom door. She was ready to begin the moment Lion Practice was finished. He spent two to three hours every day learning royal etiquette: how to greet dignitaries, how to deal with the Arussian citizens, how to eat, how to dance. Quite frankly, he was surprised there wasn't a royal way to sleep, shower, or use the bathroom.

The worst part of it all was the lack of time he had had with Allura. They were both so busy with their individual duties and responsibilities that they literally saw each other at meals and team trainings and practices. They tried to speak to each other on their coms every night before they went to bed, but that was the extent of their intimate content. Keith and Allura both suspected that Koran and Nanny planned it that way. They couldn't control what had happened on Lumos, but they certainly could control what happened at the Castle.

A soft knock sounded at the door and drug Keith from his fog. "Come in," he called. He caught a flash of pink as the door slid open. A huge smile exploded on his face. With some newfound energy, he jumped from his chair when he saw that it was Allura who had decided to stop by for a visit. A radiant smile greeted him as his fiancée walked through the door and into his office. He immediately opened his arms and she stepped directly into Keith's embrace.

Allura hugged him tightly for several minutes. "I have missed you," she mumbled, her face pressed into his chest.

"Ditto," he replied.

She looked up at him, a look of confusion in her azure eyes. "Ditto?"

He chuckled. Even after four years of being friends and teammates, there were still times that Terran phrases went completely over Allura's head. "It just means 'me, too'," he clarified.

"Oh," she accepted. "How is the love of my life?" A soft smile played on her lips as she raised her face to his. He met her halfway with a soft kiss.

"Tired, stressed, anxious," Keith responded after he pulled away. "You?"

"Pretty much the same," Allura replied. "I spent the afternoon with Nanny trying on my wedding dress." A slight blush colored her cheeks and her eyes gleamed.

"That good, huh?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That good," she confirmed with a smile. She reached up to pull his face to hers again. "Only two more days," she groaned against his mouth. "I don't know how much longer I can stand being away from you."

"I know," he concurred. "How did you manage to sneak away this evening?" he asked as he made his way over to sit on the couch, dragging Allura behind him.

Allura sat down gracefully next to him and settled against his muscled chest. "Nanny was fussing with my dress: making repairs and cleaning it. I figured she would be busy with that for a couple of hours. I am not sure where Koran is," she admitted.

"He just left here a few minutes ago," Keith informed her. "He and I were going over the coronation stuff and what would be expected of me when I become King." A slight shudder did not go unnoticed by Allura's acute eye.

"Keith," she questioned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied. "It's just…"

"What?" Allura implored, her blue eyes full of concern.

"I am not sure I am cut out for this King stuff," he confessed, running a hand through his hair. "All the pomp and circumstance, the decisions that need to be made, the people of Arus depending on me. I just don't know if I am going to be able to do it all."

Allura snorted as a look of annoyance flitted across her face. "Keith," she said. "Don't you think you should have thought about that? Don't you think you should have thought about that_ before _you proposed to a Princess who is heir to the Throne of Arus?" She glared at him before her face relaxed into a smile. "Besides," she stated with a laugh. "You could have described the job you have done for the past four years as Commander of the Voltron Force!"

"I didn't think about that," he conceded.

"It won't be that different than the way things are now," Allura continued. "Any decisions I make go from me to the Council. But I have always come to you, seeking your thoughts and advice. You have always given me your input on major decisions. That will continue after we are married. The Council will just look to you in a more official capacity. Military and tactical decisions will continue to go through you. You will still be head of the Arussian Guard and Commander of the Voltron Force."

"I will also be the only active Alliance officer who is married to a ruling monarch," Keith noted to no one in particular. "So I guess most of the guests from Earth will be arriving on the _SS Explorer_ tomorrow?" Keith decided it was time to change the subject.

"Yes, I believe that is right," Allura confirmed. "I overheard Lance saying something to Koran about them wanting to be here in time for your bachelor party." Allura cocked her head at Keith.

He groaned, "You heard about that? Where?"

"From Romelle," Allura answered. "She was a little hurt that she got kicked out of the meeting when planning for your right-of-passage. I was a little hurt, too, that I don't get to be a part of it."

Keith laughed out loud. "You have no idea what a bachelor party is, do you?" He chortled when she shook her head. "Allura, it's not a 'right-of-passage.' It's a party where the groom and his friends get drunk. The entertainment is usually strippers, and there are all kinds of inappropriate debauchery. You really don't want to be a part of that."

Allura's face had gone completely white. "Neither do I want you a part of that! I won't allow it. No strippers. Not in my castle!" she shouted.

"Allura, sh!" Keith soothed. "I told Lance he better not dare with strippers or the like. I want no part of that."

"No way. No strippers," Allura repeated as her eyes blazed.

Keith suddenly sat up. "I have an idea!" he said as he looked at her. "How would you and Romelle and the rest of the girls like to crash to the bachelor party?"


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters. The story and other characters belong to me.

Rated M for sexual stuff! Definite citrus! Please read at your own risk.

Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Quiet

The day before the wedding dawned clear and bright. An air of excited anticipation hung over the Castle of Lions. The _SS Explorer _was due to arrive right after breakfast with most of the wedding guests from Earth on board. Rear Admiral Charles McClain and Space Marshall Graham were coming along with the Vehicle Voltron team. Keith's older brother, Kurt, and his fiancée, Miah, were also traveling on the Alliance's flagship. The party from Planet Lumos would arrive right around noon. Both Keith and Allura were excited that their close friends would be on Arus to partake in all of the wedding festivities including the Bride's tea and the Bachelor Party.

Keith hummed to himself quietly as he stalked down the hall toward Allura's suite. It was still early; much of the castle was still asleep. After an hour spent in her company last night, Keith's heart ached when he had to say good-night to Allura. He hadn't realized how much he had been missing her. He had risen early this morning and decided to surprise his Princess with a quiet breakfast, just the two of them, despite the objections from Nanny. He had stood firm with her, arguing that this would be the last bit of peace and quiet he and Allura would have over the next few days. His regal air did not go unnoticed by the royal governess, and she finally relented with a curtsey to the Commander. She then left to fetch the breakfast tray. Coming to the door of Allura's suite, Keith managed to balance the breakfast tray he was carrying on one hand while he keyed in the code with the other.

"Allura?" he called in greeting as he entered Allura's palatial suite. Silence. He took a look around the opulent interior of the Royal Apartments. _This will soon be my suite, _he thought. The Royal Apartments consisted of three rooms. Keith was standing in the parlor, or sitting room. Decorated in shades of blue and gray, the parlor was designed for comfort. Two overstuffed couches flanked the marble fireplace. A large flat screen viewer hung above it. A coffee table and several end tables were situated around the room, holding picture frames, vases, and various knickknacks. Keith smiled to himself as he caught sight of personal touches in the room that were just so Allura. A small kitchenette with a refrigerator and microwave was tucked inconspicuously into a corner. Keith walked to the kitchenette and placed the tray on the counter. He turned toward Allura's bedroom figuring his soon-to-be wife was probably still asleep.

He crossed the large room and knocked tentatively on Allura's bedroom door. Again, silence answered him. He keyed in Allura's second code and walked into her bed chamber, only to find that it was also empty. The second part of the Royal Apartments was a large sleeping room complete with a four poster, king-sized bed and a wall full of windows that had a spectacular view of the Lake and the Lion Monument. This room was decorated in tones of burgundy and cream, from the velvet coverlet on the bed to the heavy drapes hanging from the windows. Two heavy teak dressers sat along the wall opposite the bed. Built in teak bookshelves lined the final wall. Stacked next to the wall of shelves were several boxes containing Keith's clothes and modest belongings. His things had been moved from his bedroom in the southeast wing to the Royal Apartments in the northeast wing over the last several days. He shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips, as he remembered Nanny's response when he insisted that he would be the one to organize his things and put his effects away. Keith had thought he had heard the words '_I can't believe we will have a_ _hooligan for a king'_ escape Nanny's lips.

Just off the bed chamber was the final room of the Royal Apartments, a large dressing and bathing suite. He caught the sound of a familiar melody wafting through the closed door, just over the sound of running water. Keith smiled wickedly to himself as he realized that the Princess was showering and had no idea that he had entered the Royal suite. He walked back to the bedroom door and engaged the lock. He keyed in a code that only he or Allura could override. He quickly removed his own clothes, laying them neatly on the bed before he crept toward the bathroom door on bare, silent feet.

Keith was greeted by a wall of steam as the bathroom door swished softly open. He gazed across the room, and his body instantly reacted as he caught sight of the delectable form of the woman who would soon be completely his. She was facing the spray of the water, away from him. Her face was tilted up, but he could see her breathtaking profile, her eyes closed as she relished the feel of the warm water flowing over her body. The water streamed and swirled as it made its way down her luscious curves. Her blond hair lay splayed down her back and side, like a golden waterfall, obstructing his view of both her bottom and her full breasts. The sound of her musical voice pulled him toward her like a drug. He walked the last few steps and stepped silently into the shower behind her.

Allura squealed in fear as strong arms came around her, the unexpected embrace causing her to almost fall backwards in the slippery shower. Keith's lips nibbled her ear and trailed down her neck as she struggled against her unexpected captor. Her cries of protest were immediately muffled by the sensual and familiar lips of her fiancé. Keith's mouth took hers as he pressed his pelvis into her backside. The feel of his hardened shaft against her elicited a purr from deep inside her.

"Morning, my soon-to-be wife," Keith murmured against her mouth. He released her enough so that she could turn around and face him.

"Morning," she purred back. "This is certainly a surprise." She pressed her naked breasts against his chest as she pulled him under the warm waterfall of the shower. Her lips found his again as she deepened the kiss.

Keith pulled back as he ran his hands down Allura's shoulders and cupped her breasts. "I thought maybe we could have a quiet breakfast just the two of us, before everyone got here and the great wedding bonanza began." He smirked down at her as her breathing became ragged in response to his ministrations. Her azure eyes darkened when he took the swell of her pale breast in his mouth.

Allura hooked a leg around his waist, rubbing against him with her intimate place. Keith let out a primal growl at the feel of her against him. "What was on the menu?" she laughed quietly. "Me?" A grunt was the only response that came from Keith as he finally pushed into her, forcing her against the wall of the shower.

The feel of him moving within her was incredible. They had not been intimate since they returned from Lumos, and this was something that they had definitely both missed. He found a steady rhythm, thrusting in and out. She moved with him, using the leg around his waist to keep him as close to her as possible. When their lips met again, hungrily, desperately, it was enough to set them both over the edge. They reached their climax together, their joint release echoing within the hollow sound of the bathroom. As they came down from their high, they stood and held each other as the water soothed and caressed their heated skin and calmed their racing hearts. They stayed there for several minutes, relishing in the feel of the water and each other, as the steady stream washed the after effects of their lovemaking down the drain.

Allura smiled up into the blazing eyes of her soon-to-be husband. "That was certainly unexpected," she breathed, reaching around him to shut off the water, "but a wonderful way to start off the day. How did you manage to get in here around Nanny the Terrible?"

Keith laughed as he reached for a couple of pink towels hanging alongside the shower. "Pink, really? " he asked before he continued, "I told her I wanted to have a quiet breakfast with you, and she complied. I just put my foot down. I am the future King, after all." He grinned boyishly at her as he handed her one of the towels and pulled the other around his slim waist.

Allura licked her lips as she enjoyed the unobstructed view of the incredibly sexy man in front of her, clad only in a fluffy pink towel. "Well, I am so glad you did," she stated. "Where is this breakfast you promised? It seems I have worked up quite an appetite."

"It's in the sitting room: waffles and syrup, bacon, and fruit," he replied. He walked back into the bed chamber and immediately began dressing. He ran the pink towel over his hair a final time before he returned to the bathroom to hang it up. "Why don't you get dressed and I will reheat things and lay out the spread? I am sure things are cold by now." He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sounds wonderful!" she mused. "And Keith?" He turned back to look at her. "Thank you. I needed this today.""

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Half an hour later, Nanny arrived at the door to the Royal Apartments. She chimed the bell, beckoned inside by the musical voice of the Princess. Nanny found her sitting in the parlor, dressed in a lovely pale yellow gown, her hair still damp from her shower. Sitting next to her on the couch was the Commander. He flashed Nanny a heart-stopping smile. Before she returned his smile, Nanny couldn't help but notice that Keith's hair was suspiciously damp, too. Instead of smiling, she clicked her tongue in disapproval and frowned. He simply cocked an eyebrow at her in challenge before she addressed both of them with a small curtsey.

"Majesties," she began. "Word just came in to Castle Control that the _Explorer _will be entering Arussian airspace within the hour. I thought you would want to be made aware so you can prepare to greet them."

"Thank you, Nanny," Allura responded. "Would you help me plait my hair, please?"

"Of course, Princess," Nanny replied. "Just let me clean up this mess." She put her hands on her hips and looked around with a slight agitation.

Keith interrupted, "No, Nanny, I will get it. You go help Allura. I will clean up the mess and return the tray to the kitchen."

"Oh no, Majesty, it isn't proper," Nanny protested.

"I insist," Keith countered. He turned to Allura. "I will see you in the hangar bay, say in an hour? We both need to be there to greet our guests." He walked over to her and pulled her into a warm embrace, placing a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips in parting.

"Ok, Keith," she replied. She begrudgingly pulled herself from his arms and followed Nanny back into the bed chambers.

Keith sighed contentedly as he watched the door slide closed behind her. He immediately busied himself cleaning up the tray and smiled as he realized his life had turned out better than he ever imagined it could be.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters. The story and other characters belong to me.

I don't know much about Vehicle Voltron or the storylines from Devil's Due Comics. I am taking creative licensure here when developing the characters of both the Vehicle Voltron people and the back story regarding Keith's family. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Chapter 19: Reunion

Keith hurried down to the hangar bay, a boyish excitement building in his gut. The hour had passed quickly and he had just gotten word from Pidge in Castle Control that the _Explorer _was in orbit. Keith had immediately contacted Allura to meet him in the castle hangar bay. The ship itself was way too big to land on the planet's surface, so those disembarking would be taxied to the Castle of Lions via a smaller transport ship. The sound of the transport ship descending met Keith's ears as he opened the door to the immense bay that sat behind the Castle of Lions.

Keith walked over to immediately stand next to Allura, her yellow gown billowing around her from the wind coming off of the thrusters. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. She looked up into his eyes, a nervous smile planted on her face. Keith couldn't help but notice her anxiety. He leaned over and whispered, "What's wrong?"

Her smile wavered briefly. She watched as the transport ship landed gently on the tarmac in front of them. "Nothing really; I am just a little nervous about meeting your brother and his fiancée." She twirled her engagement ring subconsciously.

"Don't be," Keith stated. "They will love you." He put a comforting arm around her waist as they watched the door to the transport slowly open.

Space Marshall Graham was the first to exit the transport ship. Keith immediately dropped his arm from Allura's waist and snapped to full military attention. Allura glanced anxiously over at Sven, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge to see them standing in the exact same position. Unsure of exactly how to greet the high ranking Alliance officer, she dropped into a deep curtsey, as Nanny had taught her when greeting those of high nobility. "Welcome to Planet Arus," she greeted confidently, her regal voice carrying across the immense hangar. "Commander Kogane and I are deeply honored to have you here on Arus to attend our wedding."

Space Marshall Graham bowed formally to the Arussian monarch. "The pleasure is mine, your Majesty." Though he carried himself with a stiff military posture and his demeanor was all business, his eyes were kind. Allura offered a radiant smile, which he returned in kind before turning to the Commander of the Voltron Force. "At ease, soldiers," he offered curtly to Keith and the rest of the Force.

"Sir," Keith replied, before his face relaxed into a genuine smile for his mentor and commanding officer. He reached out to shake the Space Marshall's hand. "Welcome to Arus. Princess Allura and I are honored that you could be here."

"I wouldn't miss it, Commander. A happy day for both Arus and the Alliance," he replied gruffly. The Space Marshall turned to greet his old friend Koran and the other members of the Lion Force.

Rear Admiral Charles McClain came down the gangway next. He greeted Keith with a sharp salute before grabbing the Black Lion pilot in a firm hug. Keith returned the embrace enthusiastically. Charles was Lance's father; he had also served as Keith's legal guardian since Keith's parents had gone missing 15 years before. Charles then turned to the Princess, "Your Majesty, you are a sight for sore eyes. What on Arus possessed you to marry this numskull?" he cracked, his eyes dancing as he nodded his head toward Keith.

Allura giggled as she reached out to hug the man who would be her surrogate father-in-law. "It's all about the hair," she quipped, catching Keith's gaze. Keith smiled sheepishly, running a hand through his unruly raven locks.

Charles laughed out loud at Keith's embarrassed reaction. He sobered a moment later and looked earnestly at Keith and Allura, "We are so happy for you, congratulations!" He turned away to catch his biological son in a hearty hug.

More hugs and pleasantries were exchanged as the Vehicle Voltron team disembarked: Jeff, holding hands with Lisa, Cliff, Cric, Ginger, and Cinda. Pidge almost knocked Chip over as he grabbed his twin in an overenthusiastic hug. Keith wrapped his arm contentedly around Allura's waist as he stood back and watched the people he was closest to come together again.

Allura's heart caught in her throat as she caught sight of the final couple to leave the ship. The man was tall with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His black hair was cut short, but it had a wildness to its curl that was all too familiar. His facial features were almost identical to his brother's, but his eyes were dark blue instead of black. Kurt's eyes combed the room before settling in on Keith. A proud smile exploded across his handsome face when he caught sight of his younger brother.

"Keith!" he called as he jogged down the gangplank, scooping Keith into a warm embrace. The woman followed behind him timidly.

"Kurt!" Keith's muffled voice warned. "Kurt, let me go!" He stepped back from the slightly shorter man. His black eyes turned toward the lovely young woman. "You must be Miah." He reached out to take her hand. Though Keith and Kurt kept in touch regularly, they hadn't seen each other in four years. Neither Keith nor Kurt had ever met their brother's significant other before.

The woman shook Keith's hand shyly. Miah was gorgeous. Petite and slender, Kurt's fiancée was African-American. Her beautiful brown skin was the color of milk chocolate. She had large almond shaped eyes, as dark as Keith's, and full lips, that turned up into a genuine smile. Her burgundy tinged hair was styled into an afro, kept in place by a colorful headband. "It's nice to finally meet you, Keith," she replied warmly, her alto voice as smooth as syrup.

Keith turned to Allura. "Kurt, Miah, I would like you to meet Princess Allura, ruling monarch of Planet Arus, pilot of Blue Lion, and my soon-to-be wife."

Allura reached out a delicate hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you." Kurt completely ignored her hand and instead pulled Allura into a great big bear hug. Miah gasped as Keith laughed. Allura stood stiffly in shock for a moment before she relaxed and returned his hug. "She's going to be my sister!" Kurt bellowed. "There are no handshakes!"

Allura giggled as she turned to Miah. She followed suit and pulled Miah into a slightly less exuberant hug. "And we will be sisters," she grinned. "We will need to stick together to keep these boys in check."

"Yes, we will, your Majesty," Miah concurred.

"Allura," the princess interrupted. "I insist you call me Allura."

Miah smiled and noticeably relaxed. "Ok, Allura."

"Why don't you guys go and get settled?" Keith suggested, handing the luggage to a castle butler. "There's a lot of stuff happening today, both officially and unofficially."

"Oh, yes," Allura insisted. "Miah, we have our dress fitting at 12:30, right after lunch, and then the Bride's Tea is at 3." Miah nodded. Kurt then grabbed her hand and led her out of the hangar bay.

The large space was suddenly empty, eerily quiet after all the hustle and bustle of the morning. Keith turned toward Allura. He pulled her into his arms, placing a light kiss on her lips. "See," he said. "I told you they'd love you."

Allura didn't say anything, letting out a small contented sigh. "I love you," she whispered.

"Ditto," he whispered back.


	20. Chapter 20

I am so sorry it has taken so long to post a new chapter. I have been sick for the past two weeks. Between that, wrapping up things at work before Break, and Christmas, life has been busy.

I am off for the next two weeks and plan to hopefully work on Lumos. I promise another chapter sooner than later!

Happy Holidays, no matter what you celebrate!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters. The story and other characters belong to me.

Rated T for Innuendo

Chapter 20: Tea

Allura took a moment to breathe and collect her thoughts as she gazed out the window at the majestic Black Lion atop the Lion Monument. She had had a crazy morning. After greeting her guests, she reported directly to her bedroom for her final dress fitting. The dress was perfect and ready for the ceremony tomorrow. She was soon joined by Romelle, Miah, and Tatiana, who had arrived as scheduled just before noon. The bridesmaids were wearing pale blue, tea-length gowns. The dresses were strapless with a simple A-line cut that mirrored Allura's bridal gown. A royal blue ribbon gathered around the waist of the dress and then flowed down the back. The color and cut of the dresses complemented each of the ladies who would be wearing them, despite their varied skin tones, hair colors, and builds.

The Bride's Tea was set to begin at 3:00 pm. The Bride's Tea was an Arussian tradition that had been observed for generations. It was a gathering meant to celebrate the bride's journey from maidenhood to matrimony. Similar to a bridal shower or a bridal luncheon, the Bridal Tea was a formal affair and all the female wedding guests were invited to attend.

Allura had changed into a simple ivory silk dress. A simple shift dress, it was sleeveless, with a V at the neckline that revealed the slightest swell of her bosom. It skimmed her curves before it stopped at her knees. The color of the dress was meant to represent her last day of maidenhood. Her hair was plaited down her back, small ivory roses tucked within the braid. Her circlet on her forehead and strappy ivory sandals completed the look. She presented the perfect picture of the virginal bride.

Allura walked with Romelle and Tatiana to one of the smaller ballrooms where the Tea was being held. She breathed deeply, trying to keep her composure. She was overwhelmed by all the attention being bestowed upon her. _If I'm feeling this way_, she thought, _I can only imagine how Keith must be feeling. _Thinking of Keith calmed her anxiety a bit. She smiled to herself as she and the girls walked into the ballroom.

Allura gasped as she took in the view of the room before her. Nanny and the castle staff had outdone themselves. The room was decorated in pale blue and pearlescent black. The crystal chandeliers glowed with a warm light. Large glass bowls and vases filled with blue daisies and black roses served as the centerpiece of the large round table set up in the middle of the room. The table was grandiose, more than big enough to accommodate the 20 guests attending the tea.

Allura looked with love at the ladies who surrounded her. Her Aunt Orla was there, the only direct link Allura still had with her deceased mother. Romelle and Tatiana, her cousin and closest female friend, sat to Allura's right. Miah, her soon to be sister-in-law, was next to Tatiana. The girls from Vehicle Voltron, Lisa, Ginger, and Cinda, looked out of place wearing dresses instead of their uniforms. The wives of some of the council members and some of the female caste staff rounded out the guest list.

Allura had asked Nanny to serve as hostess of the Bride's Tea. At first, Nanny had protested, feeling that the job should go to Aunt Orla, but Allura had stood firm. She insisted that Nanny was the closest thing she had to a mother. The sentiment had brought the normally brusque governess to tears.

Now Nanny stood, clad in an uncharacteristic emerald green velvet dress, and clanked her fork against her water goblet. "Good afternoon, ladies," she began in her thick accent. "If you would please be seated, the tea will begin." She signaled to the wait staff to begin serving the tea, coffee, and pastries. Allura walked over to sit next to Nanny. The old woman clicked her tongue as she leaned down to straighten a non-existent wrinkle from Allura's skirt.

"Oh, Nanny," Allura sighed as she gazed at her governess with a look full of love and devotion. "This is beautiful. You have outdone yourself. I love you, my Nanny." Allura tenderly embraced the old woman.

"Come now," the old woman coughed. "Sit, enjoy. I love you, too, my sweet Princess."

Allura sat gracefully in her chair and turned to smile at her guests. Her stomach growled quietly as she caught sight of the delectable pastries and sweets being served. Once everyone was seated, Nanny stood to formally welcome the ladies. "As you know, we are here to celebrate her Royal Highness, Princess Allura, on the eve of her wedding to Keith Kogane, Commander of the Voltron Force and future King of Arus.

As if on cue, Nanny's words were lost in the loud roar of a Lion. Allura spun around to see Black Lion and the rest of the Voltron Force fly past the ballroom's windows in perfect V formation. The whole room shook and the crystal on the chandeliers clinked from the vibrations. Allura stood and ran to the windows, throwing them open. The Lions hovered outside, a roar rumbling from the massive machines, before they turned and flew away. Allura smiled to herself as she noticed Black Lion hesitate for a heartbeat. Black Lion's eyes gleamed in a silent greeting for its master's bride. Another roar came from the alpha ship before it too turned and sped away. Allura smiled to herself knowing that the Voltron Commander was thinking of her.

She returned to the table. Nanny looked cross, and she was mumbling under her breath. Allura swore she heard the words _'Hooligan' _and _'King'_. Nanny cleared her throat loudly to try and bring the Tea back to some semblance of order before she continued, "As I was saying, we hold this tea to honor Princess Allura on her journey to becoming Queen, a wife, and eventually, a mother." She turned to Allura. "We each have a gift that we would like to present to the beautiful bride."

Queen Orla stood first. "Allura, my niece. I give you the crown of the Queen of Arus." A beautiful platinum diadem sat on a velvet purple pillow. Set with diamonds and pearls, the diadem was delicate yet regal. It was the crown that her own mother had worn in her wedding pictures and in her official portrait that hung in the throne room. Orla had taken the diadem when Allura's mother had passed away. She had always intended to present it to Allura so she could wear it at her wedding. "Wear it as a sign of your sovereign rule."

"Thank you, Auntie," Allura gushed, as she embraced her aunt.

Romelle was next. "Allura," she said. "On behalf of Prince Bandor and the people of Planet Pollux, I present these sapphire earrings to wear on your wedding day." The delicate tear dropped sapphires hung from a simple diamond post. "They can be your 'something blue.'"

"Love you, Romelle," Allura said. "Thank you!"

Tatiana stood nervously. She cleared her throat. "On behalf of Prince Cedric and Planet Lumos, I offer a permanent alliance of friendship and hospitality between our two worlds."

"Of which I most graciously accept," Allura stood and curtseyed to the woman who, she had no doubt, would one day be Queen of Lumos.

Lisa stood awkwardly with Ginger and Cinda. "Princess Allura," she began. She looked anxiously at Ginger before turning back to Allura. "On behalf of the Vehicle Voltron team from Earth, we offer this to ensure the creation of a Royal heir." She handed Allura a bright pink bag, the words 'Victoria's Secret' emblazoned on the side. Allura reached into the bag and pulled out a delicate lace object. Her face flamed red as she held up the racy red negligee with matching thong panties. The nighty would certainly reveal more than it concealed.

"Keith likes red," Ginger grinned as Allura shoved the lingerie back into the bag with a grumbled, "Thank you." The ladies laughed as Nanny shook her head.

Miah looked at her future sister-in-law. "I represent Keith's family from Earth," she stated, "And I offer this." She held out a delicate handkerchief to the Princess, ivory in color and edged with a delicate blue tatting. "It belonged to Keith's mother. It's one of the few things they have left that belonged to her. Kurt wants you to have it. It could be your 'something old.'"

Allura had tears in her eyes. "I am so grateful. This way Keith's mother can be a part of the wedding. I will carry it with my bouquet tomorrow. Thank you."

It was finally Nanny's turn. "My sweet Princess, I stand here in the name of your beautiful mother, the Queen, may she rest in peace. With Captain Kogane, you have found a man as pure and as noble in heart as your father, the good King Alfor, may he also rest in peace. I have no doubt that the love you have for each other would rival the love shared between your parents. Because of that, I offer your mother and father's wedding rings."

Allura gasped, "I thought these were lost!"

"No child," Nanny sighed. "We retrieved them before your parents were buried." She held them out to Allura.

Allura looked down at the two rings in her hand. Both rings were platinum. The larger man's ring was relatively plain with small, round cut diamonds set around the circumference of the ring. The smaller, woman's ring was more ostentatious, completely covered with larger round cut diamonds. The rings were spectacular. But it was what they represented that ultimately brought Allura to tears. "Thank you, Nanny," Allura breathed, her voice raw with emotion. "I now feel like my parents are truly with me."

"They're always with you, Princess, every step of the way," Nanny put her arms around Allura in a very motherly hug. "Now, please enjoy the rest of the tea."

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A couple of hours later, the Bride's Tea was over. Only the younger women were left. The ladies were catching up and enjoying some champagne away from the glare of Nanny.

"So Allura," Ginger quipped. "What are you going to do on your last night as a single woman?"

"Well," she said slyly. "I sort of wanted to go to a Bachelor Party."

"You mean a bachelorette party," Lisa corrected her.

"No," Allura smiled wickedly. "I mean a bachelor party, Keith's bachelor party. We're going to crash it!"


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and its characters. The story and the other characters belong to me.

I want to dedicate this chapter to Miss Cubbie! A comment she made helped turn this chapter in a different direction. Thanks for the love, Cubbie, my kindred spirit from halfway around the world. I guess we shall have to see where the story goes from here. ;J

Rated T/ M for fun and innuendo.

Chapter 21: Crash

Keith looked at the clock next to his bed. Almost 9:00. He was pacing back and forth in his room, waiting for someone to come and retrieve him. He glanced around his quarters. His bookshelves were bare, the closet empty. As of tomorrow night, he would be sharing a room with his wife. A warmth washed over him at the thought.

Keith had had a relatively quiet day. He hung out with his brother and old Academy buddies in the rec room, playing cards and watching movies. In the afternoon, Keith and the Lion Force took Kurt and the members of Vehicle Voltron on a patrol in the Lions. He smiled as he remembered the glimpse he got of Allura in her ivory gown. She was breathtaking. His contented thoughts gave way to a feeling of apprehension and dread. He tried to shake it away.

It had been two weeks since he and Allura had gotten engaged and returned from Lumos. Doom had been unusually quiet. There had been no major attacks. Arussian Intelligence had gotten no data that indicated Doom was aware of the engagement or wedding. That bothered Keith. Prince Lotor may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he usually surrounded himself with people who more than made up for his shortcomings. Maybe their cautiousness had paid off and Doom truly was in the dark, though he was sure the presence of the _Explorer _in Arussian airspace would tip Doom off that something was up. Keith prayed that they could get through tomorrow without any major surprises from Doom. After that, he felt like he could face anything they threw his way.

Keith was also dreading this bachelor party. Lance and Sven had sent Keith to his room after a dinner of pizza and beer so he could rest and so that they could take care of the last minute preparations. Lance had assured him that the festivities would be casual and low key. With that in mind, Keith had pulled on a pair of comfortable, worn jeans and a red polo shirt.

A knock on the door grabbed Keith's attention. He walked over to answer it. Keith took a step back in surprise. Standing just outside the door were Lance, Sven, Pidge, and Hunk. Jeff, Cliff, and Kurt beamed at Keith from behind them. Even Prince Cedric had decided to join the party and waited with a huge grin planted on his royal face.

"Well, Bachelor," Lance called. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be," Keith sighed.

"Wow, don't be so excited," Sven quipped sarcastically. He slapped Keith on the back good-naturedly.

"Where are we going?" Keith inquired. He had made it very clear that he didn't want to venture far because of the ever present threat of Doom. He wanted to have quick access to the Lions if the need arose.

"Don't worry, Cap," Lance replied. "We are not going far at all. In fact, we are not even leaving the confines of the castle."

Keith looked at Lance in utter confusion. "What?" he asked.

"We have set up our own private party space in the castle hangar. Now come on, let's go!" Lance snorted as he caught Keith's look. "Don't worry Keith. Just some drinks and pool, that's all!"

Keith grinned at his best friend in relief and appreciation. He followed behind the group as they made their way through the castle to the main hangar bay. No one noticed Keith with his comm out. He sent a quick text message before slipping his comm back into his pocket, a grin quirking at the corners of his lips.

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Allura glanced down as her communicator chirped. "Got it!" she giggled. "Come on, girls. Let's get ready!"

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The group of men entered the castle hangar bay. Keith looked around, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. Lance beckoned for the group to follow him back toward the storage garage. Adjacent to the main hangar bay, the Castle of Lions featured a large truck depot. It was a staging area for the disbursement of goods from across Arus. Lance led the group to one of the end storage units. The group walked inside and Keith stopped short.

The space had been transformed from an empty storage space to a modern, functional bar. The chrome and plastic bar ran along one side of the large space, black stools lined up along it to hold party patrons. Behind the bar, Keith could see a well-stocked liquor cabinet as well as a tap with at least 6 different types of beer. On shelves both above and behind the bar, new glasses of all shapes and sizes gleamed in the low light. At the back of the large space, a small raised platform sat to serve as a stage. Small black tables with groupings of three or four chrome chairs sat facing the stage. The opposite side of the room looked more like an arcade with pinball machines, video game consoles, an air hockey table, billiards, and dart boards. The whole room was decorated in the primary colors of the Lions, with black dominating. The word _Lions' Den_ had been painted on the wall behind the bar and was glowing from black lights. Keith gaped as he looked around. He turned to stare at Lance.

"Did you do all this for me?" he croaked.

Lance grinned toothily. "Well, kind of," he responded. "I have always wanted to create a social space in the Castle of Lions for us and some of the other young staff. Your bachelor party was the perfect excuse to finally make it a reality. Now, we have our own real bar."

"This is amazing, Lance," Keith mused. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Aw! It was nothing," Lance replied. "How about this? Promise me you will have a great time and promise me you won't get mad."

"I won't get mad at what?" Keith asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Never mind," Lance interrupted. "Just promise."

"Ok, fine, I promise," Keith laughed, feeling very relaxed. He walked toward the bar.

Cliff served as bartender and started making drinks and pouring shots for the men. "What are we drinking, mate?" He called to Lance.

"How about a round of Jameson for our toast to the Bachelor," Lance suggested.

"Coming right, up!" Cliff called. He poured eight generous shots of Jameson whiskey and lined them up on the bar. Lance and Sven passed them out before handing one to Keith.

Sven cleared his throat. "I would like to propose a toast," he began in his thick accent, "to Keith, future King of Arus and husband to Allura, current Commander of the Voltron Force, and always and foremost, our friend!" He downed his shot in one swallow.

"Here, here!" the men all chorused as they too guzzled their shots.

The drinks kept flowing. Keith was feeling great and he was having a great time. He had just beaten Hunk in a buzzed game of air hockey when there came a soft knock at the door. Keith looked up anxiously. The door slid open to reveal a beautiful redhead dressed in one of the castle maid's uniforms. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't mean to interrupt. Koran sent me to see if you were in need of anything."

"Don't apologize," Lance yelled across the room. "Come in, come in! Join the party."

"Oh, no thank you, sir," the maid said meekly.

Lance pushed Keith toward the maid. "Have you met our Bachelor?" he asked the woman.

"Lance, what are you doing?" Keith asked in alarm. He looked into the terrified eyes of the maid.

"Oh no, I haven't," she responded quietly. The look in her eyes transformed from one of panic to one of a predator. "Nice to meet you, big boy," she purred. She proceeded to push Keith backwards into a chair that Lance had placed behind him. As Keith fell into the chair, an old Def Leppard song began playing. The maid ripped off her uniform hat and flung it to the side. She started moving her body seductively to the beat of the music. Keith's eyes bulged as the maid began slowly unzipping her gray dress to reveal a slinky silver bikini underneath it. He looked over to glare at Lance when he finally realized what was happening. Lance grinned back at Keith before he raised his glass and downed another shot. Keith scowled before he turned his face back toward the woman. The woman shook the dress off her shoulders and allowed it to pool on the floor. She walked seductively toward Keith and then straddled his thighs. As she began gyrating gently against his lap, she leaned over and pushed her cleavage into his face. "I hear it's your last night as a single man. It's my job to make sure you enjoy it," she whispered as she licked gently at his ear.

Keith moved desperately to get away from the onslaught, but he was stuck. _I am going to kill Lance; I am going to kill Lance! _he thought as he pushed himself as far as he could into the back of the chair. It was at the moment that a collective gasp could be heard coming from the direction of the door. Keith's view was blocked by the stripper in his lap; he had no idea what the sudden commotion was.

A loud "Get the fuck away from him!" could be heard echoing across the storage space before the woman was forcibly removed from Keith's lap and flung to the floor. Keith looked up into two raging, furious blue eyes. Allura turned around and shrieked at the stripper, "Don't touch him! Get away from him! Get away from my castle. You are not welcome here! If I ever see you touch him again, I will kill you. Get out!" She glared red-faced at the woman. The woman looked from Keith to the Princess to Lance. She grabbed her dress and ran to the door as fast as her high-heeled stripper shoes would take her. The whole group turned and watched as she scurried out the door.

Keith looked around in a daze from his seated position. He was still slightly buzzed. Allura stood in front of him, hands on her hips and face as red as a tomato. The men who had been a part of the bachelor party stared from Keith to Allura and back again. The women who had come to crash the party with Allura looked around at each other with eyes as big as saucers. No one said anything until Lance gaped as he stared toward the door. "What the fuck just happened?"

Allura turned toward Keith, tears streaming down her face. "You promised me," she whispered. "You promised me no strippers." She turned and ran from the bar.

"Allura," Keith called after her. He turned toward Lance and Sven. "You promised me!" he growled as he turned to run after her.

There was a long, awkard silence after Allura and Keith had exited the bar. It was Jeff who finally broke the silence. "What the hell are you ladies doing here anyway?" Jeff asked Lisa. "This is supposed to be the bachelor party."

Lisa shrugged, "Keith texted Allura to let her know where you guys were going. He thought it would be funny if we crashed the bachelor party. Allura wanted to hang out and celebrate together. She said Keith assured her there would be no strippers." She glared pointedly at Lance.

"Hey, so I lied!" Lance scoffed. "Come on, Keith deserved a true bachelor party. I never imagined his bride would show up."

"Now what?" Hunk asked.

Prince Cedric walked over to put his arm around Tatiana who had crashed the party with the rest of the girls. "I think we should continue the festivities," he stated. "There is no point in ending the party. Let's celebrate both the bachelor and the bachelorette."

"But they're not here," Pidge pointed out.

Everyone turned to look at Lance. "Ok, ok," he relented. "I will go talk to both of them and bring them back here." He left the bar as the music started up again and the drinks continued flowing.

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The beautiful red-headed maid headed away from the castle. She walked quickly, trying to put as much distance between her and the party as possible. She was humiliated; she knew that her work as a stripper was not looked upon with favor, but she had never been made to feel so small. Lance had hired her a week ago to perform for a small bachelor party. She had no idea that the bachelor party was for the Commander of the Voltron Force. Even more surprising was finding out the bride-to-be was no other than the Princess of Arus.

The redhead frowned to herself. As a native Arussian, she was loyal to her monarch and the House of Arus. She was surprised to learn that the Princess was betrothed. No formal announcement had been made. This was the first she had learned about it. She couldn't wait to get home and call up some of her girlfriends and spread this juicy gossip.

She had just entered the last stretch of woods on her way to her house when a strong pair of arms grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with a gloved hand. "Hello, my beauty," a voice drawled in her ear. "I see you are coming from the Castle of Lions. Perhaps you can give me the information I need." He turned her around to face him. Her terrified eyes stared into a pair of yellow ones. The breeze caught and stirred the man's long white hair. "If you give me the information that I need, I will let you go, unharmed. If you refuse to speak or if you lie to me, a fate worse than death will befall you. Do you understand?"

The terrified woman nodded anxiously in agreement.

"Good," Lotor said. "Let's go to my lair where we can talk."


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. The story and other characters belong to me.

Rated T/M for cursing and some violence

Chapter 22: Vengeance

Keith cursed Lance with every step as he stomped down towards Allura's office. He had sobered up pretty quickly as he made his way out of the makeshift bar in search of Allura. He had already been to her quarters to find the apartment empty. When he arrived at the office door, he didn't bother to knock. He just keyed in the code and walked in.

He found her curled up on her couch, her face buried in her arms. She was sobbing. She looked up suddenly at the sound of the door opening. She narrowed her eyes at Keith in a death stare when she noticed it was him. "Get lost," she growled, her voice threatening to crack. "I want to be alone."

"Allura, come on," Keith begged. "You have to know I had nothing to do with that. I warned Lance I didn't want any strippers. When I invited you girls to crash the party, it wasn't to rub that in your face."

"I figured," Allura admitted quietly. "I don't know what happened." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand in an undignified way. "When I saw her all over you, it was like something just snapped. I have never been that angry before. I have never been that jealous before." She turned her tear stained face up to him. "I am so sorry I ruined your bachelor party."

Keith sighed, "It's ok. It wasn't really you. I was plotting Lance's murder the minute I realized what was happening. I was going to execute him the minute I could get away from that woman." Keith shuddered slightly at the memory. "He ruined it by going against my wishes."

As if on cue, a knock came at the door. "Guys," Lance called. "Are you in there? Come on, open up! It's Lance."

Keith rolled his eyes as Allura sat up. The called "enter" simultaneously. Both glared at the Red Lion pilot as he entered the office. He stopped short when he saw their angry expressions. "I am really, really sorry?" he said as he put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Are you mad?" Keith snarled. "What the fuck were you thinking? I told you I wanted nothing to do with any strippers."

Lance smirked in defiance and crossed his arms across his chest. "And I thought you deserved a real bachelor party," he commented. "I never realized your fiancée would show up!" He raised his eyebrows at Allura.

"I invited her," Keith stated before Allura could reply. "I thought it would fun if all of us could celebrate together."

"A little communication about that would have been helpful," Lance shook his head. "Look, Princess, I am really sorry. Sally was a professional dancer. She would not have done anything to or with Keith. She's gone now. Why don't you guys come back to the party and we can all celebrate together?" Lance's voice was suddenly cut off by the pealing of the castle alarms.

"Shit," Keith muttered, "What now?" He held his comm up to his mouth and barked, "This is Kogane. Report!"

"Commander!" Koran's voice came over his comm. "You and the Princess need to report to Castle Control immediately."

"On our way, Koran," Keith said. "What's going on?"

"It's Lotor," Koran responded quietly. "He has learned of the wedding and he is not happy."

Keith and Allura just looked at each other. They grabbed each other's hands and sprinted off toward Castle Control, Lance right at their heels.

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Five minutes later, Keith, Allura, and Lance flew into Castle Control. Keith was relieved to see that Hunk and Pidge were already there, as were Sven and Romelle and the members of the Vehicle Voltron team. Space Marshall Graham and Rear Admiral McClain entered soon after. "Report!" Keith ordered as he came up to Koran.

"Lotor wants to speak to you and the Princess. He will only speak to you. He has not made any other demands," Koran reported. "He is on standby."

"Open a channel," Keith barked. "This is Commander Keith Kogane. What do you want, Lotor?"

Lotor's blue face filled the large view screen. He stared down at Keith before his eyes moved over to Allura. He eyed the Princess hungrily before his yellow eyes glared back at Keith. "Why Commander!" the Prince of Doom sneered. "I am offended that I was not invited to your wedding." Keith said nothing in reply and just looked at Lotor evenly.

Lotor turned to Allura, "How lovely you look this evening, Princess. What is it that you are celebrating?"

"Lotor," Allura sighed. "Stop stalling and tell us what you want."

"Why my dear, sweet Allura! You were supposed to be _my_ bride. I was a little surprised when I saw the increase in Alliance presence around Arus. I was a little more surprised when I realized it was because of a wedding. Well, hell, I almost fell over when I realized it was _your _wedding. But what really got me, was when this young lady confirmed that Commander Kogane was the prospective groom," Lotor spat out the words as he moved the camera to show the terrified face of the redheaded woman that had left them not half an hour ago.

"Let her go," Lance bellowed. "She's an innocent bystander, you bastard."

"Which is exactly why I need her," Lotor interrupted. "I would be a fool to try and attack Arus now, with the _Explorer_ and the other Voltron here. I don't have a death wish. I do, however, have every intention of stopping this wedding and claiming the bride as my own." He grabbed the redhead's hair. She yelped in pain.

"Stop! What do you want, Lotor?" Allura pleaded.

"Quite simply, you, Allura," Lotor replied, his eyes hungry as he stared at the Princess. "You marry me, Princess. Not Commander Kogane. If you do, I will let her go and Arus will live forever in peace." He looked into Allura's eyes. "If you don't, she dies. And Doom will launch a full scale attack that will not only destroy _your _Voltron, but the _Explorer_ and the other Voltron as well. Now, do you really want that on your conscience as you walk down the aisle to meet your charming _commoner."_

Space Marshall Graham stepped up to the view screen. "Lotor!" he boomed. "I am Space Marshall Graham of the Galaxy Alliance. You are committing an act of war. Your threats will not be tolerated. Now let that woman go. If not, you will be considered an enemy of the Galaxy Alliance and its member planets and will be actively hunted all over the Near and Far Universe."

Lotor laughed, "I already am, Graham. There is only one thing I want, and that's Allura. She will come to me of her own volition. When she does, I will let this harlot go. A wedding will take place, but it will be me that Allura marries, not Commander Kogane."

Keith was surprisingly quiet during the entire exchange. "Are you crazy, Lotor? Do you really think I would stand by and let that happen?" he spoke with a dead calm. "What makes you think I would let Allura anywhere near you?"

Keith snapped his head to the right when he felt a soft hand on his bicep. "Keith," Allura implored. "This isn't about you and it isn't about me. We have to do what's right by that poor woman." Her sapphire eyes bored into his midnight ones. "Let me go to him. Maybe I can negotiate with him."

"No," Keith snarled. "I will not let you…" his voice trailed off.

"Hey, Skipper," Pidge mumbled between closed lips. "Take a look at the background. I think I know where he is." Keith scanned the image of the Doom Prince, paying attention to the background behind the Prince, rather than his sneering, blue face. Keith noticed the stalagmites on the floor and stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling. A gleam appeared in Keith's eyes.

"Ok, Lotor, fine, you win," Keith conceded suddenly. "Allura will come to you. But the agreement is that you will release that woman." Twenty heads snapped toward Keith and an audible gasp went through Castle Control. Allura paled slightly, but she knew in her heart that Keith must have a plan.

Lotor smiled in triumph. "Agreed. But you are forgetting the second part of the agreement: Allura will marry me. Not you," he reminded the Commander.

"I will not answer for Allura," he stated, casting a sidelong glance at his fiancée. "She will need to make that decision for herself. But you have my word that I will not interfere if she chooses to marry you. You are after all, more her equal than me."

"Finally, Kogane, you are making sense," Lotor retorted. He turned to the Princess. "Go to Blue Lion. Come alone or the woman dies. I will send you the coordinates privately for a rendezvous point once I have confirmation that you are indeed coming solo."

"Do I have your word that the woman will go free?" Allura inquired.

"I will set her free as soon as you are with me, my bride," Lotor confirmed. "Lotor out." The screen went black.

Chaos erupted within the Castle Control room. Everyone was yelling and talking at once. Keith stood silently, lost in his thoughts. Allura walked up to him and put her arms around his waist. He pulled her into his embrace. "You know I won't let anything happen to you, right? You know I have a plan to get you back? If that woman's life wasn't in danger, I would tell Lotor to fuck off."

"I know," Allura whispered into his ear, before she gently brushed her lips to his. She stood quietly in his arms for several moments before she suddenly stepped back. "So what is the plan?"

Keith turned around to face the havoc in the control room. He raised his arms to get everyone's attention. When the room finally quieted down, he began to speak, "You have to know that I was just trying to buy us some time and let Lotor think he has the upper hand. The truth is I know where he is. With the _Explorer_ and Vehicle Voltron here, there is no way Lotor would be able to come and go from the planet's surface undetected. He has set up his own lair here." He nodded toward Pidge before he continued, "Thanks to Pidge, I noticed his surroundings. He is taking shelter in Fangs Caverns."

"Fangs Caverns?" Allura gasped. "How do you know?"

"I saw the stalactites and stalagmites behind him. He wasn't smart enough to hide his background," Keith smirked slightly at the idiocy of the evil Prince.

Koran cleared his throat. "But Commander, how are we going to rescue that woman and ensure that the Princess is safe?"

"Easy," Keith replied. "Fangs Caverns is connected to the Royal Tombs under the castle. There is a narrow tunnel that leads from King Alfor's tomb into the main cavern. I don't think Lotor knows about it, or else he would have used it to gain access to the Castle."

Jeff exclaimed, "I see where you are going with this. Let Allura go and meet him. She can act as a diversion while a rescue team takes position in the tomb. We can get the woman to safety, ambush Lotor, and then save the Princess!"

Keith smiled broadly at his fellow captain. "Exactly," he confirmed.

"But Keith," Koran protested. "The Princess would still be in danger."

"Only until we get to her. Once the redheaded woman is safe, we will get her the hell out of there." Keith turned to Allura. "It's the only way to assure her safety and yours. You said it's not about you or me, it's about her. Can you handle the mission? Are you sure about this?"

"Of course, I am sure," Allura nodded emphatically. "We need to rescue that woman, unharmed." She turned back to Keith. "And the only person I am marrying is you," she added for good measure.

Keith nodded stoically. He was in full on Commander-mode and trying to avoid thinking about the fact that he was about to send his fiancée into the hands of the enemy. "Go and head to Blue Lion," he ordered Allura. "Once he sends you the coordinates, explain to him that you are going to message me one more time to say good-bye and give me your decision. If Fangs Caverns is in fact the location, your message will be 'I will marry the Prince.' If it's not, you return to the castle regardless. Is that clear?" Keith stared at her.

"Affirmative, Commander," Allura answered. She looked at Keith. She knew he would come for her. She knew he would keep her safe. Just before she headed to Blue Lion, she smiled radiantly at him. "See you soon," she called before she grabbed her T bar and was gone.

Keith returned a small smile to her retreating back before he turned back to the calvary and began to relay their part of the plan.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters belong to WEP. All other characters and the story belong to me.

Rated M for some violence and cursing

Chapter 23: Rescue

Allura tried to push her fear deep into her gut as she rode the transport down into Blue Lion. This was not the first time she had faced Lotor alone. She just hoped that she could appeal to the evil Prince's sick obsession long enough to distract him so the terrified woman could make it to safety. That and she hoped to buy Keith and the rest of the Force enough time to get into position in the Royal Tomb.

_Help me Father, _she prayed silently as she activated her key and awoke Blue Lion from her watery slumber. "This is Blue Lion," she reported over her comm. "I am waiting to receive communication from Lotor."

"Roger that," Koran responded. "We await your receipt of coordinates."

Blue Lion emerged silently from the Lake beside the Castle of Lions. She headed into the night sky and waited. She didn't have to wait long before a message over a secure channel was sent to Blue Lion. "This is Blue Lion," she said as she accepted the hail.

"My beautiful Allura," Lotor purred over the comm. "I cannot wait to make you mine, in every sense of the word."

Allura swallowed the bile that had risen into her throat. She plastered a radiant smile on her face. "Lotor," she replied. "I am awaiting the coordinates."

"Tsk, tsk, Allura," Lotor flirted awkwardly. "Are you always in such a hurry?"

Allura closed her eyes and forced her voice to remain even. "Only when I have been made to see the light. Please, I must come to you, betrothed."

Lotor smiled wickedly over the view screen. "Sending them now," he stated. Allura keyed the coordinates into the Lion's computer. Keith had been right. It was the location of Fangs Cavern just north of the Castle.

Allura hailed Lotor as she turned Blue Lion in the direction of the Prince of Doom's lair. "I have received your coordinates and have confirmed your location. I am on my way. Lotor?"

"Yes, my love?" he cooed in response.

Allura sighed and rolled her eyes. She did everything in her power to keep from gagging. "I owe it to Keith to at least give him my decision. I am going to send one last message."

Lotor glared at Allura suspiciously. "I thought he already understood that as part of the deal."

"Please, Lotor," she pleaded. "Let me say good-bye."

"Fine," Lotor growled in response. "But know this: I am monitoring your communications. Don't you dare try and forward the coordinates."

"I wouldn't dare," Allura responded. "I know what's at stake." She opened a second channel and hailed the Castle of Lions. "This is Blue Lion."

"Go ahead, Blue Lion," Keith's voice came confidently over the comm. It gave Allura the last bit of courage that she needed to see the mission through. "Keith," Allura directed her message right to him. "I have decided to marry the Prince."

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"We got her!" Keith yelled to the small detail of elite guard that he had gathered in Castle Control. "Let's head down to the Tombs!" Keith and the rest of the Lion Voltron Force, along with Jeff, Cliff, and Cric, made their way down to the damp cellar under the Castle of Lions. They moved quietly as to not alert Lotor of their presence. When they entered King Alfor's tomb, Keith motioned for the detail to follow him soundlessly. He crept down behind the good King's sarcophagus to the narrow tunnel that was hidden behind an ancient Arussian tapestry. The group moved on silent feet.

The tunnel was narrow and as black as night. Keith moved slowly and cautiously, relying on his night vision to see the twists and turns of the path in front of him. The group moved steadily for 10 minutes before the path began to widen and the ceiling began to rise. Keith signaled for the group to stop and take position. He peered into the wide cavern. He recognized the space as the background behind Lotor on the view screen. He scanned the large space and his eyes fell on the redheaded woman. She was bound and gagged and tied to a chair in the middle of the large space. She appeared to be unharmed. He looked around again and noticed that no Drules or robots had accompanied Lotor. It appeared that the foolish Prince had come alone.

Keith motioned for Hunk and Pidge to make their way over to the woman. Their mission was to secure her and get her out of the cavern and to safety. Keith watched them move into position about 10 yards behind her. He continued to scan the area and caught sight of Lotor's white hair at the far end of the cavern, near the main entrance. The familiar hum of the Blue Lion's engines outside the cavern alerted the team that Allura had arrived.

Keith immediately went into a defensive stance, his hand on the trigger of his blaster and his scope trained on the head of the Doom Prince. If Lotor made any move to harm his fiancée, Keith would shoot the bastard dead.

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Allura settled Blue Lion into a resting crouch just outside the gaping entrance to Fangs Cavern. She scanned the area and detected several heat signatures coming from inside the cave. The scan confirmed to her that Keith and the rescue team were in position. She removed her helmet and set it down in the command chair. She then reached to lower the lift from the cockpit to the ground.

As she emerged, she caught sight of Lotor waiting for her. "Throw your blaster to me!" he yelled. Allura complied and raised her arms in surrender. "That's a good Princess, Allura. You will make a wonderfully submissive wife," he quipped.

Allura struggled not to respond or react. She simply called to Lotor, "I am here. Now let the woman go."

"All in good time, Allura, all in good time," the Prince responded. His yellow eyes gleamed and he licked his lips suggestively as he took in Allura's curves accentuated by her flight suit. "Come to me, Allura."

"Let's get inside the cavern," Allura requested. She gave a mock shudder. "It's chilly out here. Besides, then we can be alone."

Lotor chuckled, "I like the way you think, you naughty, naughty girl." He smiled seductively. "Follow me."

Allura shuddered for an entirely different reason as she followed Lotor into the cavern.

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Keith saw movement near the entrance to the cavern. He caught a visual of Allura entering behind Lotor. Keith motioned to the rest of the team to move into position. He maintained his aim at Lotor and waited. Allura knew what she needed to do.

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"Wow, Lotor," Allura mused. "This is some place you have set up here. What have you been doing?"

"Monitoring the movements in and around the Castle of Lions. Cossack got word that the _SS Explorer _had entered the Denubian Galaxy. When we confirmed that they had made orbit around Arus, I knew it was time for me to come and see what was going on. I know about your little trip to Lumos with the Commander," Lotor spat. "It seems it was more than an interplanetary alliance trip."

Allura pursed her lips, not quite sure of how to proceed. "You're right, Lotor," she began tentatively. "Keith and I went to Lumos after we realized we were more than friends. He proposed, and I accepted. I love him, Lotor. I always have and I always will. Marrying you won't change that."

Lotor stepped toward Allura and struck her across her face. Allura reeled back with the force of the strike. "Don't ever mention that jerk's name in my presence ever again," Lotor seethed. "Or I will do more than hit you." Keith bit his cheek to control his anger and maintain his position. He needed to wait until the redheaded woman was safe before he made a move.

Allura raised her hand to graze her bruised cheek. She gazed at Lotor with loathsome and hate. "I am sorry, Lotor." She scanned the room, her sapphire eyes falling on the form of the defeated and terrified woman. "Let her go, Lotor," she said. "You have what you want."

"Not quite yet," Lotor stalled. "Do you really think I am stupid enough to believe you would agree to the terms so easily? She will be free when you and I are off Planet Arus."

"I thought we were to be married here tomorrow," Allura protested.

"I would rather be married on Doom," Lotor responded. He grabbed Allura by the hair and pressed his lips to hers. He ground his mouth against hers. Allura fought to keep her lips together and prevent his tongue from tainting her mouth. She pushed forcefully against his shoulders, but to no avail. It wasn't until she brought her knee up, and made contact with his manhood, that Lotor finally let her go.

A blaster shot rang out from across the cavern. The shot hit Lotor solidly in the chest. He looked dazedly at Allura before his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed onto the floor. Allura sobbed as she dropped to her knees beside the unconscious Prince. The sound of running footsteps echoing through the cavern caught Allura's attention.

She looked around to see the redheaded woman being cut free from her bindings by Pidge and Hunk. Lance and Jeff approached Lotor's prone form cautiously. Once they saw that he was out, the knelt beside him and secured his arms and legs. Cliff and Cric scanned the rest of the cavern with their weapons for any unseen threats or reinforcements.

Strong arms came around Allura and hoisted her up. "It's over," came Keith's whisper as he turned her to face him and buried his face into her blond hair. "You're safe." She sobbed into his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him for dear life. "And I am never letting you go ever again." The Princess was shaking as Keith held her tightly. "Shhhhh!" he whispered into her ear. "You're safe now! Lotor is in custody. No one else can hurt you."

She pulled back from Keith suddenly. Instead of fear and terror, Keith was surprised to see a look of rage on Allura's face. "I am done with this!" she screamed suddenly. "I am done with Lotor and Zarkon and war! I want to live in peace and look forward to the rest of my life with you." Everyone in the cavern had stopped what they were doing and stared at Allura as her words echoed off the cave walls. Her screams had awakened Lotor and he began to stir painfully in his bounds. A low moan came from the Drule Prince.

"Get him out of here," Keith ordered. Lance heaved Lotor heavily to his feet. He stood on the Prince's left while Jeff stood to the Prince's right. They dragged the semiconscious Prince to an awaiting transport ship where he would be transported to the _SS Explorer. _Space Marshall Graham had made it clear that Lotor's little stunt would be looked on as an act of war and he would be arrested, tried, and sentenced back at Galaxy Garrison Headquarters on Planet Earth. Allura and Keith watched their pathetic white haired enemy dragged away.

"It's over," Keith repeated. "And I mean it might be really over. Lotor is in custody. He will be put away for a long time. We may never have to worry about him ever again."

"Maybe," Allura sighed. "Maybe not." She turned to look up into Keith's black eyes. "That was just too close. Our wedding came this close to being ruined."

In all the excitement, Keith had pretty much forgotten that he and Allura would be getting married tomorrow. He looked at the time on his comm. He stood corrected. It was 3 AM. He and Allura would be getting married today. He put an arm around Allura and led her out of the cavern to where Blue Lion was waiting. He had decided that he would accompany Allura back to Castle Control.

"Allura," he said as they settled into Blue's cockpit. "Do you want to postpone the wedding for a few days? Let things settle down. I am sure it wouldn't be a big deal….."

"Hells to the no!" Allura shouted. She turned to stare at Keith like he had sprouted another head. "Are you nuts? We are getting married today, in the castle chapel, at 3:00! We have waited long enough. I will not go another day not being your wife." She crossed her arms across her chest in defiance and turned away to settle in the passenger seat.

"Ok!" Keith conceded. "I just wanted to make sure you would be rested and ready."

A soft smile played on her lips as she cast a sidelong glance at Keith. "I have been ready for four years," she replied quietly.


End file.
